Princes of the Universe: Book 2 - Diamonds
by PocketHero
Summary: Matthew, my dear Matthew. How could I have forgotten you? That face. That smile. Those eyes. How could I condemn you to such pain? I am a fool. But as Alfred once said, "At least one of them has a pulse." FruCan PruCan slight AmeCan and USUK- Hetalia!Cardverse - [Rated M for blood and sexual references] A romantic/heartbreaking story of France and Canada :) Enjoy POTU - Diamonds
1. Diamonds - Part 1

_Hetalia!Cardverse: Francis(France)xMatthew(Canada), FruCan fluff (for now). [  
RATED M for blood, gore and sexual references ;) ]_

_Human names used :)_

_!ENJOY!_

* * *

**Princes of the Universe**

**:Book 2 –**_**Diamonds:**_

_**-Part 1-**_

It's hard you know… being a King.

The paper work.

The problems.

The women! Ah the women!

Everyone adores you! Seriously…everyone and everything I should say. Even the birds and the butterflies have this attraction to my golden complexion.

But… even though I have everything a man could possibly dream of…

I am still depressed.

A sort of heaving feeling in my chest when I swing my legs out of my grand bed with expensive sheets; hand embellished by only the most skilled seamstresses. The carpet imported from far over the ocean; made from the softest of all fabrics and the most exquisite design found nowhere else but my bedroom. All of my belongings are coated in pure gold and dappled with tiny diamonds which mirror my glittering beauty… let's be quite honest with ourselves here: I am the most magnificent human being there was ever to walk to the planet. My perfectly sculpted muscles… not too buff and not too scrawny. My silky smooth hair which flows like a river of gold! My eyes resemble sapphires glistening in the moonlight. My voice is like brandy warming your throat as it trickles down to your heart… I truly am sculpted my the hands of GOD.

And yet I am still so very very depressed. Oh woe is me… so perfect in so many ways and yet my subconscious refuses to be content!

I am born from a long line of beautiful people. MY mother was the most beautiful woman in the whole world according to popular belief, and my father was the most handsome human also! Until I appeared on the earth of course…

I live a life of luxury. Constantly pampered with love and affection by gorgeous creatures. Showered with daffodils and yellow roses whenever I set foot outside my grand mansion… did I mention my mansion glitters with gold and marble? Oh how silly to have forgotten. My whole kingdom glitters with spectacular colours of marble, gold and silver! My kingdom is the most beautiful kingdom in the world! It truly is a superb sight to behold! Especially when the sun rises and sets… the whole city sparkles in the light of the sun.

And STILL I AM DEPRESSED!? I really do not understand my reasoning… I have a woman or two in bed with me almost EVERY NIGHT of the week! And I am so incredibly miserable. Except for that one time it turned out to be a very ugly woman… yikes… I must have been VERY drunk that night.

This intense sadness has prolonged for such a long time, oh no not just now! It began when I was a child. Yes. A clichéd story of a lonely child who cannot seem to find his purpose in life. Yes. How touching. But just hold on for a second before you turn away! You must listen to my story! It isn't so clichéd after all…

Once a long time ago I was young…younger. About the age of eleven. My father allowed me to come along on a business trip just over the border to a brother kingdom… the grand Kingdom of god damn Spades. Damn Spades. ANYWAY. He had a meeting with the King of Spades regarding their treaty as neighbouring kingdoms. He left me to 'play' with the Prince of Spades… oh how I could wring that little chaps neck. He was arrogant. Pompous. Rude…and ever so violent! I left the little monster to play by himself. I had other plans… so I ventured out into the kingdom's city. It was so different from my own kingdom. Drunkards littered the streets like wet paper bags and prostitutes clung to every street corner like lichen growing on a rotting log. Little street rats traipsed around the alleys as flurrying bugs and woodlice. Mud squelched beneath my feet… I prayed it was mud at least… although it smelt nothing like dirt at all. A mixture between urine, a strange sweet smoke and herpes polluted the air. Shrill laughs and screams created a creepy cacophony… as if seagulls, cats and chickens were thrown in a bag and shaken. Much like the sound of a thousand untuned bagpipes. The light began to disappear as I progressed warily deeper into the gut of the kingdom Spades. The slums. I held the hilt of my dagger as if it were comforting me, "hey! You! Fancy a trip to the candy store?" a gruff voice murmured hidden in the smoke before me. The voice wasn't talking to me though… I frowned and started taking smaller steps towards the voice.

"Um no thanks… I'm fine" a delicate sound trembled in the cavern of my ears. Like a frightened puppy cowering into a corner. The voice wavered.

"Come on… come with me!"

"No! Leave me alone you creep!"

"Why you little-… oh! I see… YOU'RE the PRINCE of SPADES! Hahahaha! What a pretty little thing you are…"

"Don't touch me…" I stepped through the murky darkness to see a little boy of about seven being pushed into the mud and excrement by a lame old paedophile. He stroked the boy with an elongated crusty finger. The boy jerked his face away… his face was delicate and pale. His hair was soft and blonde; with a curl the twirled from the top of his head like a pencil swirl. His eyes were a cold amethyst. The creep was correct. This was most indeed a 'pretty little thing'. The man grasped the boy by the wrist and began to drag him into the alley whence he came.

"You'd make a pretty ornament around my place haha!" I looked at the other beggars and a prostitute who shied away into their holes. Would they not help this child!? Selfish fools they were…

I stepped in and batted the man's hands away. The child scrambled onto his feet frightened and hid behind my legs, "Are you okay my dear? Did this filth try to hurt you?" I mumbled gently. The boy gripped my trousers and nodded into the material. I turned to the louse hunched over and reeking with piss. I sneered down my nose at him, "I see… have you anything to say for yourself? Hmm?" the idiot shook his head and spat in the child's direction. The boy whimpered. The yellow hued saliva landed on my shoe. I gagged in repulsion and clouted the thing across the warted cheek with such force that he fell onto the ground. Into the shit where he belonged. He clutched his cheek in pain and crawled away.

I knelt down to the child who was on the brink of tears. His large purple eyes filling with warm tears. He snivelled and hid his face in his hands… as if to hide the tears of weakness, "do mot cry mon cheri… he is gone now" although it was slightly out of place… I pulled his hands away from his face and dried his eyes with my handkerchief. His cheeks turned pink as he wiped away the snot dribbling from his tiny nose. How cute. I folded the handkerchief away into my pocket, "come on… let's get you home" I smiled. He looked at me in utter horror.

"NO!" I swallowed my words. He barked at me… as a little puppy would if it were told it was not allowed to play, "I just got out of the castle! I wanted to explore but now that creep used up all my time… I want to see more! I'm not going back until I see something worth my troubles" he pouted and frowned up at my surprised expression. How persistent. I was very impressed for a boy who was almost exploited. I ruffled his hair and stood.

"I'll show you something spectacular dear…" I extended my hand to him. He looked up at me. His little mind working… turning small cogs and shifting mini gears. He took my hand.

"Okay"

I turned around hand in hand with this boy and headed straight out of the slums… for his benefit and mine. My hand ached a little from slapping the man so hard… usually I don't make an effort to bring pain upon someone. But in this case it was just foul… and I was in a bad mood anyway.

I retraced my steps I took with my father when we entered the kingdom… on my way in I found something great… which I think this boy would love. If he wanted to see something spectacular then he would get it alright! And for once I'm not talking about my trouser snake… if you get what I mean.

We spent the afternoon walking around the kingdom. I used my money to by fruits and breads that the kid saw and couldn't afford himself. We combined our pocket money to purchase what we wanted. The boy's name was Matthew. Matthew Jones. Prince of Spades. He was the younger brother to Alfred Jones… the idiot I was originally assigned to keep entertained. I found Matthew to be far more of a delight to converse with. He was exciting and kind and sweet and shy and exciting and funny and also very exciting! I have no idea why I found his presence so peculiar. He said he would never get to be the King because of his older brother; but he didn't want to be the King of Spades anyway… he told me he would rather travel the world and see things he'd never seen before. As I lifted him onto the back of a hay cart heading Northeast of the Kingdom's border he started to tell me about all the stories his child minder; Wang Yao, Jack of Spades, had told him about. About the land far over the oceans where the sun rises and there are mountains which stretch as far as the eye can see. Where dragons are gods and raw plants can be pulled right off the bush and be used as medicines. I never got a word in the conversation when Matthew rambled about all the places he wanted to go when he was older… the way his little purple eyes lit up when he spoke about it, the way he dangled his legs and used his hands to illustrate the story he was telling. He was a very exciting child.

When the cart stopped I lifted him down again and I raced him up to the top of a hill. I peered up at the aging sky; deepening in a pink hue, the warm winds dancing with the strands of my hair. We reached the top of the hill and I peered over the horizon. There it was. Glittering in the sunset the silhouette of my kingdom. The sunset hit the angle of my city just right so that the gold sparkled as the sun laid to rest, "there… you see just over the horizon Mattie?" I knelt down beside him on the warm grass and pointed into the distance. He nodded drowsily and then sparked into life again when he saw the glistening profile.

"Wow… what's that Francis?" his jaw dropped.

"That's where I live… it's a long way away but it is very beautiful there…" I smiled at the thoughts of my home, "the way you talk of mountains and dragons… I could speak of my home" Matthew looked up at me from where he sat, "My whole kingdom glitters with spectacular colours of marble, gold and silver! There are many different kinds of fruits there and flowers by the thousands… you would love it there…" I sighed and looked down at the pensive child staring at his feet, "what are you thinking mon cheri?"

"You speak weird… I wish I could talk about my house like that…" I was baffled. How could one not speak of their home as I did? You must love the place you live! You must have a passion for your home! That is what I have been taught all my life…'Aime ton royaume, ton pays, ta maison ... car il va vous protéger aussi longtemps que ses murs se tiennent forts avec amour.' My mother would sing to me as I fell asleep. Meaning: Love thy kingdom, thy country, thy home... for it will protect you as long as its walls stand strong with love. I have lived by that statement and dedicated my life to my kingdom. And it glitters with all the affection of my voluptuous heart.

"It is sad that a Prince cannot find it in his heart to speak well of his home…" I chewed my cheek. Then a bright idea popped into my pea sized brain. A magnificent idea that would make even Einstein jealous, "Matthew! Why not come and live in my kingdom!" He looked at me with a twisted expression. Of surprise, fear and excitement, "you're not going to be King here anyway… come and live with me! You say you wanted to see the world, so come with me! You can start with my kingdom!"

I took Matthew back to his castle after our little conversation together.

"Father! Father! I have a question to ask of you!" He scrambled into the castle, almost tripping up the steps. I followed… gasping and wheezing. Exercise was a well foreign concept to me. There's a good reason why large staircases are not present in my kingdom.

"MATTHEW!" We turned in the opposite direction to where he was running… thus brought upon me the wrath of Alfred Jones. Fuming the enrage shrimp leapt onto me and started flailing fists at my face, "YOU IDIOT! YOU SLY DOG! YOU…YOU!" I cringed beneath the thrashing imbecile who began to bite me and kick me also… what a foul, violent child he was! Despicable.

"What!? What have I done!?" I yelped beneath the growls and verbal diarrhoea of the Prince of Spades.

"YOU KIDNAPPED MY BROTHER YOU ASS!" he landed a fist right across my jaw. Smack bang. He floored me easily. BY god the power behind that hit was astounding. I grazed across the stone clutching my cheek in pain. Now I was angry…

"Why…YOU LITTLE-" Matthew stepped in front of me, wide-eyed and frightened.

"Don't fight Francis! It will only end in blood and tears!" I looked up at the boy standing with his miniature arm span outstretched and his chest puffed out…as if to make himself appear bigger and more intimidating.

"Matthew move!" Alfred wiped his lip and snarled at his little brother.

"No!" How stubborn. It really was astounding how brave the child was on the inside. Like a marshmallow with an iron core.

"I said MOVE!" Matthew shook his head. Just as Alfred started to advance on his little brother someone levitated him by the collar.

"How dare you touch my son in that way!" The King of Diamonds held the boy eye-level with himself and let his feet dangle far from the ground, "act your age you petty fool!" He dropped him on the earth like a wet rag.

Matthew hurried over to his brother to help him up. He didn't help me up… I pushed myself from the cold stone. He heaved his brother off of the ground.

"Come on Al-"

"Don't touch me… I can get up myself…" he mumbled… red faced and embarrassed.

"Leave him there boy" the King of Diamonds ordered, "he looks better there. It's where he belongs" he sneered down at Alfred.

"Père! (Father)" I barked at my father. He shot me a look.

"Pierre!" A huge voice roared from across the courtyard. All heads turned to see Matthew and Alfred's father; the King of Spades, marching across the stone faster than a retreating Italian army, "what is the meaning of this!? You speak to my son; the future king, as if he were some scoundrel pulled off the street!?"

"Well pardon me monsieur! I just had to peel this enfant faute (foul child) off of my boy!"

"The Prince tried to kidnap Matthew father!" Alfred yelled and pointed at me as if I were some rapist. I. AM. NOT. A RAPIST. In fact Alfred was more of a rapist the way he leapt upon my sweet body with such ferocity!

"Comment osez-vous! Vous êtes vraiment un menteur bouche pot! (How dare you! You really are a potty mouthed liar!)" I seethed in rage at the peppy infidel.

"Speak so we can understand you self-righteous little shi-" The King of Spades started before my father removed his glove and threw it on the ground.

"You can forget our treaty you conceited creature…"

"So be it Diamonds…" the King of Spades turned up his nose as he stomped back into his home, "BOYS! Come hither!"

"Francis. Mon cher, laissons ce trou de merde et de rentrer à la maison ... (My dear, let's leave this shit hole and go home...)" my father called for me as he burnt his glare into the King of Spades' back.

"Francis… I am so sorry!" He collided into my stomach and buried his face into my tunic. He squeezed my waist tightly like a snug vice. I hesitated before returning his gentle embrace, "please don't be angry he didn't mean it! He can be silly sometimes and… and… please don't hate us!" His little pink face exploded into tears and uncontrollable sobs. I rested and delicate hand a top of his head and leant do mutter something in his ear.

"I'm going to teach you something in my language… okay? And I want you to remember that phrase until we next meet…" he nodded into my chest and wiped away his tears, "Les diamants sont éternels…" I spoke slowly so he could pick up the sounds. He nodded and pulled out of the hug.

"Les diamants… sont… éternels… right?" he twinged a smile.

"Yes… oui" I smiled, "au revouir" I stood and slowly took steps towards my father who was waiting with a sneer on his face… soaking in the Castle Spades one last time. I waited… with each step I waited for Matthew to say the words I wanted to hear.

"Francis!" he called back. I smiled smugly to myself.

"Yes Matthew?"

"What…what does it mean?" I laughed to myself and took his small hand in mine. I knelt on one knee and pressed my lips to his hand quickly.

"Les diamants sont éternels…" I squeezed his hand before running to my father and throwing a grin over my shoulder, "Diamonds are forever!"

"Les diamants sont éternels Francis Bonnefoy!" Grinned and waved back, standing on his tip toes to watch me leave.

So… little Matthew etched that phrase into his mind. Like a vow.

_Our eternal vow…_


	2. Diamonds - Part 2

**Princes of the Universe**

**:Book 2 –**_**Diamonds:**_

_**- Part 2 –**_

Four years…

Since my coronation as King of Diamonds.

Five years…

Since my father passed.

Six years…

Since my mother last told me she loved me.

Seven years…

Since I'd forgotten his name.

Eight years…

Since I had forgotten his face.

Nine years…

Since I received my last letter from him.

Eleven years…

Since I'd seen his face.

It had been far too long.

Why had it become so long? Why had time passed so quickly, yet so slowly at the same time? How could I forget that name… that face…that voice… those eyes. It appeared to be a sin to forget memories so precious that a fluttering feather would shatter the fragile notion. A pebble in the water, a ripple… and the image is gone. Distorted and dispersed. The image of his face fading over time like a photograph; collecting dust in the corner of my mind, dwindling in the darkness. It was as if… I had never met him. As if he had never happened. God forbid, it was like he was never born.

We had sent letters to one another after I returned home. Four short years we wrote… every single day there would be a new story, a fresh set of ink scrawl to send to Matthew. The summer days were filled with stories of sun-kissed women, adventures from within the golden fields and travellers from over the ocean. Pirates. The Pirates were my friends… most days. They would take me aboard their ships which bobbed upon the glassy water, the population of the crew hollering to me as they recognized my frequent presence. They told me stories of their far-away lands and dangerous encounters… Matthew liked those stories the best. Blood curdling thrillers. But since Spades made a pact with the Pirates and the overseas dealers they don't litter my ports any longer with their drunk laughter and boisterous babbling. Nor do their wares find themselves into my stores… I missed them. But it made me happy to know that Matthew would have received such joy in seeing Pirates arrive in their harbours for the first time. I tried to imagine the look on his phantom face as the foreigners stepped foot on their streets. The winter consisted of frosty festivals as the lakes and rivers would freeze over, days spent inside drinking hot chocolate and exploring the maps of the world… all the places WE wanted to go. I would add a red circle to a new location we wanted to travel to; bringing out the books I would do research and find out if the place was a desirable destination. Most were; according to Matthew. He had always found the positive side of bad situations. I needed that kind of person really… being a very talented drama Queen.

Every day I would have a new letter to exchange with the kingdom's courier. As the sun set; and my kingdom began to glitter golden hues, I ran to the gates of the castle and waited… no matter how long. I remember the excitement sitting in my stomach like a bubbling well as I gripped my letter to Matthew eagerly, crumpling the parchment slightly.

"What'll it be today?" The courier would say teasingly; knowing exactly what I wanted.

"Special delivery. From the Prince of Spades" I would sigh annoyedly.

"Prince Alfred? I'm afraid I have no letters sorry!" he chuckled.

"Prince Matthew Jones! Of the Kingdom Spades!"

"Oh yes! The _other_ one haha! I may have something for you…" we would exchange petty conversation and letters before going about our daily business.

Then there was one day. I stood in the same position I did the day before, and the day before that… and every day that last week. But he never came. I was fourteen. The glittering on my kingdom slowly began to cease as the sun reclined into the earth. I rested my head against my knees as rested my eyes waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Shadows were cast over my sleeping figure; curled up at the gate to my home. I was fourteen. I waited for two hours. Until the last stars lit the sky, "hey…" I lifted my head drowsily. I looked up. It was the courier.

"You're late… that's unlike you…" I rubbed my eyes and held out the letter to him, "Special delivery from the Prince of Spa-"

"Not today." I stopped. Those words had never slipped past his lips for all four years I had sent letters to Matthew. Not today.

"I'm not in the mood for games… a letter from Prince Matthew" I laughed nervously. Something told me that this wasn't a game at all… that there really was no letter from Matthew.

"I know… there is no mail for you, sorry your highness" he rested a hand on my shoulder and bowed down to my level, "I will gladly send this letter to the Prince if you'd like?" I was fourteen. I was heartbroken.

"Forget it" I covered my eyes with my fringe, like a curtain hiding the immense disappointment swelling in my eyes in the form of tears.

"But…sir-"

"I said forget it…" with that I ran into the safety of my castle. 'Aime ton royaume, ton pays, ta maison ... car il va vous protéger aussi longtemps que ses murs se tiennent forts avec amour'… Love thy kingdom, thy country, thy home... for it will protect you as long as its walls stand strong with love. And my castle's walls protected me that night like a warm embrace as I cried myself to sleep… wailing all night long, "Matthew! Mon cher Mattie! Pourquoi? Pourquoi voulez-vous me faites mal comme ça? Pourquoi je suis je dans une telle douleur? Qu'ai-je fait de mal, vous mon cher Matthew ..."

Matthew… my dear Mattie! Why? Why do you hurt me like this? Why I am I in such pain? What have I done to wrong you my dear Matthew...

Indeed. What had I done to cause this? What had I done… I never knew.

News had reached the kingdom that a new Queen of Spades had been appointed. A street rat. Some regular filth pulled from the gutter and slopped upon a throne…my god, the Spades had really out done themselves this time. Queen Arthur J Kirkland. Reformed street rat into royalty. How foul. My first encounter with a human of the street was when Matthew was close to exploitation by a pruned old paedophile. Which tainted my view of those who dwell on the street for life. Apparently my adopted sister Michelle was used to help surprise this Arthur Kirkland when he was proposed to by the King of Spades… god damn Alfred bloody Jones. The monstrosity that accused me of stealing his little brother and causing the dissolution of our Kingdom's alliance.

What did I care for the Spades? Nothing. I cared nothing for their arrogant blue hue and stupid glasses. Was their whole family blind or something? I don't understand… so I reclined deeper into my throne as the Jack of Spades rambled on about idiotic economic news regarding the Kingdom… I let my Queen deal with that. I was forced to choose a Queen at the age of nineteen in order to continue a stable economy in my Kingdom… how annoying. Of course the Jack of Diamonds; Basch Zwingli, recommended his adopted sister… Erika Vogel. She was of great intelligence and would prove a definite asset to the Kingdom. Especially if she showed as much loyalty and intelligence as Basch himself. She was nice enough… but I had never really had a personal yearning towards this woman. Perhaps it was because if I did show a slight interest in her Basch would surely have me assassinated. He cares greatly for his _'sister'_ but I wonder… I really do wonder… maybe it would be better if I stepped out of their relationship equation.

Any who… they aren't very important. They are boring and their relationship is stagnant. Unfortunate for them. Not me.

Basch had finished reading the news and he bowed his head, "C'est tout, votre altesse (That is all your highness)" he was fluent in the language of my Kingdom.

"Thank-you kind Jack for reading the news… you are very well-spoken" the Erika however, was very new to my native tongue and usually spoke the common language. Basch blushed and stepped aside.

"Next on our list is the arrival home of Michelle Bonnefoy; Princess of Diamonds, back from her journey in the Kingdom of Spades…" he read as the doors flung open. I lifted my head a little and squinted down the hall where Michelle had entered… with an unexpected visitor hot on her trails.

"Grand frère! (Big brother!)" She squealed as she ran down the hall with arms extended towards me, "Je suis tellement contente de te voir! Vous auriez dû être là! (I am so glad to see you! You should have been there!)"She leapt onto my lap and crushed me to her growing bosom. How unsightly for a King. Oh well… I loved my dear sister.

"Où chère sœur? (Where dear sister?)" I pulled out of the hug to register the look on her face.

"The Spades' royal wedding! WOW! It was just fabulous! There were white flowers everywhere and there was music and amazing food! And the clothes were just stunning!" She sighed deeply, "oh brother… Je souhaite que vous vous mariez bientôt… (I wish you would get married soon…)" she looked towards Erika and nudged me. Basch shot me a look of disgust.

"What did she say Francis?" Erika queried as she was gestured to. There was no way I would tell her what Michelle said.

"Uh she says… you would have loved it there too Erika" I smiled awkwardly. She grinned.

"Oh yes! I am sure of it Miss Bonnefoy!"

I looked over the shoulder of my sister at the trembling wreck knocking his knees together as looking anywhere but at me. I frowned. How strange. I couldn't see this man's face from where I sat… he hid his face in his hands… as if to hide the tears of weakness, "and who is this…" He looked at me in utter horror. I swallowed my words. Was I supposed to know this man? I had never seen his face before? How could I?

"He is a friend I met while travelling in Spades! He will stay with me for a while.. you must treat him as if he were royalty okay?" She smiled. A glint in her eye hinted that this man was not an ordinary fellow. I whispered under my breath quietly. The man was dressed in commoners clothing… brown waistcoat and trousers topped off with a floppy brown hat which covered most of his facial features. I couldn't see him properly beneath that hat… was he ashamed to show that face of his? Or was he afraid…

"He's not a street rat like the Queen of Spades is he?"

"NO!" I swallowed my words again. He barked at me… as a little puppy would if it were told it was not allowed to play, "I wanted to explore… I want to see more! I'm not going back until I see something worth my troubles" he pouted and frowned up at my surprised expression. How persistent. I was very impressed… he stood up to a King without hesitation. I was very impressed indeed. But also increasingly _intrigued_.

"I see… how could one not wish to be in their own home non? I find that strange…" I smirked down at this man…skin like porcelain… a pretty little thing," You must love the place you live! You must have a passion for your home! That is what I have been taught all my life…'Aime ton royaume, ton pays, ta maison ..."

"car il va vous protéger aussi longtemps que ses murs se tiennent forts avec amour…" I stared down in disbelief. How could he know my family motto? It was known only to the royal family of Diamonds and Diamonds alone! A commoner from the Kingdom Spades waltzes into my grand hall and openly interjects me… THE KING, and recites my own family motto in the midst of my speech. Who. The. HELL. Did this man think he was!? Yet I was far more curious than infuriated. The members of my court glared at the man in disbelief… then at me for my reaction, "Meaning: Love thy kingdom, thy country, thy home... for it will protect you as long as its walls stand strong with love… isn't that right?" He recited it in my own native tongue FLAWLESSLY. And translated it into his native tongue FLAWLESSLY.

HOW!?

"Young man. Do you know who I am!?" I bellowed down at the lesser. He looked taken back by these words. Tears beginning to prickle the corners of his wide amethyst eyes. He snarled back like an angry dog.

"Francis Bonnefoy! King of Diamonds! Your coronation took place four years ago on an April afternoon! Your mother used to tuck you in at night and sing you to sleep with the words of your family motto! Brother to Michelle Bonnefoy who is adopted by your father who passed away five years ago! King to Erika Vogel; Queen of Diamonds, and superior to Basch Zwingli; Jack of Diamonds! You are twenty two years of age and you are LONELY AND DEPRESSED!" He screamed. His delicate voice reverberated around the hall as it grew louder and more distorted with rage. He panted heavily as tears dampened his pale complexion…reddening with embarrassment and anger. All was silent. Except for the pounding his heart in syncopation with mine. A lump in my throat began to burn me, "The real question is… do you know who _**I**_ am!?" his voice nothing more than a frail whisper… yet it transferred perfectly to my ears. I sighed at this beautiful mess. All was silent. I looked up. How stubborn. His chest was puffed out…as if to make himself appear bigger and more intimidating. It really was astounding how brave the child was on the inside. Like a marshmallow with an iron core. But There was indeed such sadness in the purple eyes; swathing like a deep pool, he was fishing… he knew exactly what he wanted me to say.

"No. I am sorry"

He fell quiet for a few seconds. As if he were absorbing the words like a sponge… analysing their very dialect as they sunk in. Finally, he exhaled sharply and unclenched his fists. He dropped his shoulders and muttered something almost inaudible, "Bien sûr ... comment ai-je sais que ce serait arrivé là? (Of course... how did I know it would come to this?)" his voice wavered.

This man was ALSO fluent in my native tongue. He was from Spades and he was fluent in MY OWN native language… NO ONE in Spades would ever dream of knowing a simple phrase in Diamonds' language! A Spade speaking Diamond. This was rich. This was frightening. This was… enthralling. But still I could not make sense of his words' meaning.

"Bien sûr, vous ne voudriez pas me rappeler ... on ne fait jamais rien ... (Of course you wouldn't remember me... no one ever does any way...)"

"Pardon? Exprimez-vous! (Speak up!)"

"Après toutes ces années de chagrin ... toutes ces années d'attente. Comment pourrais-je attendre tellement de vous ... Je suis tellement égoïste ... si stupide (After all these years of heartache... all these years of waiting. How could I expect so much of you... I am so selfish... so foolish)"

What on earth was this man speaking of? Remembering him? Heartache? Waiting?

"Je suis un imbécile pour venir ici ... Je n'aurais jamais dû venir ici! (I am a fool for coming here... I never should have come here!)" he glanced at my sister, "Je suis désolé de vous déranger Michelle (I am sorry for troubling you Michelle)" he looked back at me disdainfully in pain, "Et dire que je croyais qu'il parlait tellement de moi ... une fois (And to think I believed he spoke so highly of me...once)"

What. He raised a hand to remove his hat, "Donc, Francis ... Vous êtes un menteur, après tout ... (So Francis... you ARE a liar after all..." he pulled it weakly of his head. Long curled strands of beautiful blonde hair caressed his porcelain cheeks. His face was delicate and pale. His hair was soft and blonde; with a curl the twirled from the top of his head like a pencil swirl. His eyes were a cold amethyst. He was a pretty little thing indeed. That face. That voice. That name. It hit me like a brick flying at the speed of light; right in the centre of my face. My stomach caved in as guilt shook me like an earthquake. The moisture in my mouth left and my lips moved apart like a fish; laying on a stall wide-eyed and frozen.

"Ma…Matthew…" I forced the words out of my dry lips like a sweet poison. He scowled up at me in a form of disdainful disgust. How could I have forgotten him!? How could I let myself forget that face!?

"Les diamants sont éternels…(Diamonds are forever…)" his lip began to quiver gently, "what a joke…" he spun on his heel and marched out of the hall at light speed. I was left in the dust, having his disgusted expression etched into my memory.

"Matthew!" I called after him as the doors bellowed a deafening slam. I could hear his crying from inside the hall…they were soft and fading fast. A sharp pain entered my skull. I recoiled holding my head. My sister growled.

"What are you waiting for!?" I gave her a dumb look, "GO GET HIM YOU NUMBSKULL!" I need not hear those words another time. I glanced quickly to Basch and Erika.

"Pardon moi… just one moment if you will" with that I dashed after the fleeing Prince.

I had never run that fast in my entire existence. And that is saying something considering I am not much of an athlete at all. The sun lowered itself in the sky as twilight sprinkled my kingdom in a thousand glittering stars, the golden hue painting the sky with long strokes…casting long silhouettes on the marble pavement. My voice was becoming dry and grainy from calling his name over and over again…but I could never get tired of that name. Matthew. Matthew. Matthew. A beautiful composition which fitted that pretty face perfectly. That pretty face stained in tears and twisted in pain as I denied ever knowing him… how it must have hurt. I was beginning to grow worried. Where on earth could he have run off to? I had searched all the streets of my kingdom… but… all except one. There was one street in my kingdom known for sinister trades. Such as prostitution, black magic and foreign substances. Surely he couldn't have found himself there… could he? Reluctantly I turned onto the street and into the shadows. A mixture between urine, a strange sweet smoke and herpes polluted the air. Shrill laughs and screams created a creepy cacophony… as if seagulls, cats and chickens were thrown in a bag and shaken. Much like the sound of a thousand untuned bagpipes. The light began to disappear as I progressed warily deeper into the gut of the kingdom Spades. The slums. I held the hilt of my sword as if it were comforting me, "Oi! you… come over here for a second won't ya? I have new special wares to show you!" a gruff voice murmured hidden in the smoke before me. The voice wasn't talking to me though… I frowned and started taking smaller steps towards the voice.

"Um, no Thankyou… I'm not interested" a familiar delicate sound trembled in the cavern of my ears. Like a frightened puppy cowering into a corner. No…not again.

"Aha! Got ya! Come with me now won't ya son!"

"Agh! What are you- AH! GET OFF OF ME YOU CREEP!"

"How dare yo-… OoooOooh! I see… YOU'RE the PRINCE of SPADES! Hahahaha! We've heard so much about you pretty boy! A big bounty on royals heads these days… I wonder what you look like without those trousers hahaha! Come on! Show us now! Can't waste a penny!" He laughed manically as Matthew began to yell and punch at the man. Hitting him in the jaw.

"OUCH! You little shit!" Two other men standing by came to this man's rescue.

"What's up! Is this prick giving you trouble?"

"We'll sort 'im out alright! Come here pretty boy!"

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" I stepped through the murky darkness to see my little boy of about eighteen being pushed into the mud and excrement by three paedophilic buffoons. They outstretched their hands and stroked the boy with crusty fingers. The boy jerked his face away…

"I wonder how much we could get down at the docks for this damn fine thing!" They chuckled. Before they knew it all three of them had been beaten into submission by my cold fist. Lying crumpled in amongst the dirt I drew my sword and pressed it against the leading offender's throat.

"Keep your filthy hands off of my Prince you foul creatures…" they nodded manically, wide eyed at the sudden presence of their King. I turned to Matthew who was frozen in shock, "are you alright mon cheri?"

"Y-yes…" he whispered delicately. I turned back to the trio beneath my boots.

"I swear… if I see any of your kind come close my dear Matthew ever again… you'll end up like this!" I swung back my sword and aimed for the leaders neck.

"NO!" Matthew yelled. I froze. What? "Don't do it Francis! Let them go!" I looked at Matthew in confusion. By that time the scum had fled into the side streets whence they came. I sheathed my sword and extended a hand to Matthew. How merciful…

"How reckless of you…" he stood shakily wiping a bit of blood from his lip, "you really should be more careful…" I used my thumb to wipe away the dirt and tears from his cheeks. Feeling the soft skin beneath my fingertips like a dream, "this is the second time I've had to rescue you… I thought you would have learnt by now dear…" I smiled gently and pulled him from the shadowy street into a main road… brighter and safer. I looked back at him.

"You…you remember me?" he looked so surprised. I too was surprised. He had grown so handsome over the years… being so close to him at that moment I finally recognized his aged face. It struck a chord in me. His face seemed to glitter softly beneath the sparkling of my kingdom. Time had been so kind to him… but so cruel also. Time stole my memory of him from me… the memory of that exquisite complexion.

So it happened. Although it was slightly out of place… I pressed my lips against his own cut and bruised ones.

I cared not for the taste of dirt and blood that came with my decision. By god I had long yearned for this. He didn't fight it. But he was so surprised that he nearly toppled over with fright. When he began to press harder against me and clutch me tighter… there was no holding back. I had waited eleven years for this moment. There was no holding back. He followed me back to my castle that evening. We skipped dinner. No regrets.

_And no holding back…_


	3. Diamonds - Part 3

**Princes of the Universe**

**:Book 2 –_Diamonds:_**

_**- Part 3 –**_

**"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear."** But why would there be fear when **"Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination, full of hope."**

Perhaps there is fear because of how reckless romance can be. Fear because of its endlessness… The same applies for the law. One who knows no bounds goes too far, thus being regarded lawless and doing whatever he or she pleases… a criminal… a sinner.

This makes me think. I know of another race of life which follows the same decree…it is those who dwell above cities and shelter themselves from the atrocities of real life. They do what they please, when they please. They are the nobles. The royals. We are the selfish and the salacious. We meaning me…and all those alike myself. The Kings and Queens. The Jack's and Princesses. We are lawless and because of that we are lost. We are blind. We are the sinners. We…are the Princes of the Universe.

And we are all guilty.

Recently I've been getting a lot more deep and thoughtful of my words and actions… but isn't that because war changes all. Yes, war. I didn't mean for it to happen like this. I just wanted him to be happy… that is all I ever wanted. And yet even though I wish for good; it seems all that is evil attempts to taint my desire, sins and evil. But let's be honest with ourselves here… I am a sex maniac! There! I said it! There is no doubt about it! I indulge myself in sins of the flesh on a weekly basis…call it a ritual if you will. Back then I couldn't find anything to douse my eternal flame of lust… all the time I wasted looking for satisfaction could have been used in other ways.

Why didn't I go to Spades myself? Why didn't I travel there myself? Nothing was stopping me from travelling yonder. Nothing except myself. My own hinderance built an imaginary wall between us… him and I. Maybe I was afraid to go there because of Alfred; his childhood strength was terrifying, I couldn't bear to think of how strong he was now. How did Matthew deal with this… with him? I'll never know.

Perhaps that is why I found myself so attracted to this man. He was so strong… so virtuous. He sprinkles light and joy upon all who meet him or even graze past that incredible violet gaze of his… it tickles you as you pass his presence; which glows like the sun. I has always wanted to see past that smile… past that sparkle in his eyes… which some days appears to be fake; like his smile was pulled taut over a bone frame, hollow and feigned. He looked pained. Behind that porcelain mask what was he hiding… slowly I began to untie the strings holding the lie upon his cheeks… slowly but surely. I will see. What damage do we have here to unveil? Matthew mon cheri? Mon amore…

"Francis…" his voice nothing more than a mere whisper; a fragile snowflake fluttering and pirouetting through the gentle chilled air. I tilted my head backwards loosely resting it upon his pallid chest… I looked up at him as though he were an angel delivered from the heavens to purge me of my sins. His eyes half-lidded with fatigue and post-rapture. The cold moon glow bleaching his flesh with an ethereal radiance. He looked so young without his glasses… I felt a little guilty. But there WAS no holding back. By god I certainly didn't expect what I received from such a pretty little thing… after that night I really had no right to call him a pretty little thing! I won't go into too much detail about our _intimacy _… but there is really only one word I could use to describe such an event…actually there would be no such word to describe it. But if there were… Sacrée Vierge Marie, il est trop tard pour sauver mon âme! Sacred Virgin Mary, it is too late to save my soul! I am destined to burn in the fiery pits of hell for eternity! I swear I have made sweet, delicate, fiery, salacious love to one of your messengers from God! I am damned! How could such an angel morph into such a beast!? Beast meaning a good thing…a very _very_ good thing indeed. Ahem…anywho. I promised myself I wouldn't speak of our ahem *hotcoitusandspicyfornication* ahem to anyone… not even myself.

"Mm? Cheri?" he tore his gaze away and began to shiver a bit. I was concerned. What had I done? Did I do something wrong? "Matthew! What is wrong?" I turned onto my stomach and pushed myself into a kneeling position, I tried to keep the sheets covering my garden of Eden. I stroked his head as he whimpered into the pillow beside him.

"What if Alfred finds out…" I raised an eyebrow. Is THAT what he was so worried about? His brother finding out that he used his brother's honeymoon time to sneak out of the Kingdom to see his forbidden lover and engage in copulative activity with that same forbidden lover. Okay… maybe I see the problem in that now I think on it more, "he'd surely have you beheaded or assassinated or-or!" I pressed a finger to his lips.

"Shh…" he peered up at me, eyes were a cold amethyst. He looked like a little boy again, "I fear nothing of your brother… he is simply a little brat that needs to learn his place in the world…"

"You don't know my brother Francis…" his voice wavered. I looked down at him confused. Was I supposed to know something more about Alfred, "our father… the old King of Spades-"

"Oh yes… wasn't he beheaded for inappropriate conduct against the new Queen of Spades? Arthur? Molestation… how foul" Matthew screwed up his face, "oh sorry… I will speak no more of him…"

"well yes… I'm not afraid to speak of the things he did to _Arthur_…" Matthew shuddered and grit his teeth. Wait a moment… why did he put the emphasis of his sentence on the word Arthur? No… is he implying something more… someone _other_ than Arthur was subjected to this horror. He was silent for a moment longer… some distant memory stagnant in his eyes.

"Matthew…" I frowned down at him. He turned his face into his shoulder, "oh no… he didn't-"

"Yes." He choked out, "he did…" something uneasy in my stomach stirred. I exhaled sharply and held his face.

"Oh… mon cher Matthew…"

"Alfred was first born… the perfect child. The favourite. The heir to the throne. I was a mistake… an error. I was invisible to all the Kingdom. When I was born apparently no one knew… there was no news of me. No festival for me. Not like there was for Alfred. The next King. My father only ever cared for Alfred…"

"But what about that day? The day when Alfred was attacking me and you stepped in?"

"You must be deaf and blind to think he stepped in to save ME…" and sighed. Oh yes… I remembered now… Matthew was right.

**All heads turned to see Matthew and Alfred's father; the King of Spades, marching across the stone faster than a retreating Italian army, "what is the meaning of this!? You speak to my son; the future king, as if he were some scoundrel pulled off the street!?"**

"There was one day… when I was about twelve… he asked for me to follow him to his chambers… I was so excited, my father actually wanted to spend time with me and me alone! I felt so happy… finally" Matthew's facial expression twisted into a grimace, "then…" I looked down at his bare skin. The moon illuminated the surface. I bit my tongue. Those scars… I remember them as they are imprinted in my memory. Cracks in marble. Chips in a diamond. He stopped talking and started choking up, "I-I'm sorry… I feel sick…" I pulled him out of the sheets and pillows and clutched his thin limbs to mine. Entwining my fingers in his soft blonde hair.

"Hush… you don't need to say anymore… I understand" he shook his head into the nook of my shoulder.

"No… no Francis… you don't… you really don't"

"what I meant was… I may not understand your suffering. But there is one thing I know for certain..." I pulled him out of the hug so I could see his face, "you will never suffer under my protection… you will know no pain nor anguish while you reside here" I placed his hand on my chest above my heart.

"It's so warm…" he smiled, "it's beating really fast too…" I blushed slightly.

"This is what you do to me..." he reached for my other hand and placed it above his own heart. We beat in time.

"And you… what you do to me… if I had the choice I would stay in your arms for the rest of my existence Francis… but my law doesn't allow it…" what law? A law that binds the hearts of Spades' to their Kingdom? "To defy your brother would be disrespecting the monarchy…" This enraged me.

"I see." My hand slid down his chest… causing him to recoil and tense. Matthew was ticklish? How exciting…, "you are ticklish?"

"No" I slid my hand back up his abdomen and he flinched again.

"Liar…"

"Non!" He tried to hide a smile as I continued to brush his chest and he squirmed wildly, "Non Francis non! Arrête! Arrête! Ça fait mal! (No Francis no! Stop it! Stop it! It hurts!)" He began to cry. I launched myself off of him as fast as lightning recoils into the sky.

"Je suis tellement désolé! Qu'est-ce que je fais! Qu'est-ce que je fais! (I am so sorry! What did I do! What did I do!)" Before I knew it I was pinned down on the mattress unable to move my arms and legs staring into the face of an angel… a deceiving angel.

"Vous berner ... (Fooled you…)"

"Encore une fois mon amour…(once again my love…)" he took my lips within his own and pressed them hard against me. It was a long night. And I didn't mind one bit.

It was strange. Matthew and I had acted like we'd known each other for years… but in fact we had only seen each other in the flesh twice. It was strange… but it was wonderfully strange.

Matthew stayed with me the whole week after that night. We spoke about his Kingdom and his brother a lot… not because we wanted to. IT just happened. I had never realised how much Alfred influenced Matthew… he could never make a simple decision without considering Alfred first. He loved his brother dearly. You could tell. This wasn't forced love due to the laws of the monarchy either; this was genuine adoration for his sibling. Matthew would speak so highly of him… but at night I could hear him sobbing to himself quietly as not to 'wake' me. Not that I was sleeping. He was afraid his brother would turn into his father… he had tried to do so much to prevent Alfred from turning into a monster; it was Matthew's nature to face the problem, not like me who would run away. Matthew was living in fear. He didn't want to go home… he didn't want to go back. But he had to. It was the law. If he went home he would live a life of confused emotions; of love and hate…and fear. But if he stayed with me here... Alfred would come for him and bring the whole Spades armada along with him. He was torn. I wish I could have helped him make the decision…

"I've decided Francis" he sat on the edge of my bed looking up at me who was throwing together a cup of tea. I looked down at him.

"And?"

"I'm going back. Tomorrow, before dark" I fumbled with the tea bag and unintentionally shot a shocked look at him. Matthew? Leaving?

"But… Matthew-"

"I know what you're thinking… what if Alfred finds out? What if I never come back right? Well… the truth is… who can tell ey?" He shrugged despondently, "I know Alfred is the King of Spades… he can be very unpredictable sometimes but he IS my brother…" he smiled up at me, "and I love him too…" This was Matthew's decision, not mine. Since he had decided to leave me, I would respect that and help him in any way I can. I nodded and knelt beside him.

"I know. You are a lover Matthew… " I pecked him on the cheek, "I can't hold a mockingbird in a cage forever… I need to let you free" He appeared to be taken by this statement. Well, he has been told his whole life to follow the law and do as he is told. Chained by society. But I have cut these chains and allowed him to soar… like a mockingbird.

I had nothing to worry. Really. He left me the next day with a smile on his face and tears in his eyes. But little did I know that he would return not only weeks after. Spades had loosened the reins on the Prince, allowing him to travel anywhere he pleased… as long as it had something to do with aiding the economy. Which meant he could come and see me weeks at a time.

My life had never been so perfect with Matthew by my side. I was no longer so depressed and lonely. Erika didn't mind that I was preoccupied with him… she thought it was sweet. Basch found it… interesting… he wasn't too sure of the whole situation; but if it meant I spent less time being close with him sister he was happy. My Sister didn't care much, she said "love was love! No matter what! So when are you getting married!? I WANT TO ARRANGE YOUR WEDDING!?" Ahem… yes. The only bad part about our relationship was that no one outside Diamonds was allowed to know… it would endanger Matthew. If Alfred ever found out about us I would be dead within the hour. I wished I could tell people. I wanted to show him off and yell and shout, "LOOK AT HIM! HE IS THE MOST AMAZING THING IN THIS UNIVERSE! LOOK HOW LUCKY I AM!" But no. Poor Matthew would be so embarrassed.

Meanwhile… Spades' economy was growing at alarming rates. Very alarming. I began to be concerned for not only Matthew's sake… but mine too. Matthew and I are very much alike in the ways of being controlled. Matthew is dominated by his brother Alfred… where as I; and the Kingdom of Clubs, are mere puppets on strings… strings that can be cut with a simple flick of a finger. We are controlled by the King of Kings. THE King. The capital city of our world controls all. Hearts. The King of Hearts. Anything he says goes without question. If we do anything wrong to endanger his power over us… well… he deals with it. Efficiently. All fear the King of Hearts and his court. The most lethal group that ever walked the earth. If anyone or anything challenged The King, his Queen (an oriental girl from over the ocean), his Jack, his Knight or Joker… yes… he has a Knight and a Joker in his court; if any one of them are threatened. You'll wish you were never born.

Spades' economy was threatening the Hearts.

I didn't say anything for a while. I didn't want to scare Matthew away and tell Alfred… although I love Matthew, I am still a dog of the Hearts and are loyal to the Capital.

One day I was called out to a meeting in the Kingdom Hearts.

Their Kingdom is very large and robust. Iron and huge thick walls surround the castle like a labyrinth. Once stepping inside the secluded hall; where only the Kingdom's representatives were allowed, I took my seat and inspected the representatives.

Elizibeta Hedervary, Queen of Clubs. Her kingdom is known for their cultural qualities and military; Clubs being the capital for Culture and also is the safest Kingdom in the whole world. An important member of their court had been assassinated recently… so I was curious to know if she was feeling alright. But she always terrified me. People say that Elizibeta had killed five men singlehandedly armed only with a skillet. Before I had wondered how she would do in bed… nut I cared not for that anymore. I had Matthew. He was more than enough.

At the head of the table sat Ludwig Beilschmidt; King of Hearts, and THE King of the world. The leader. The dictator. His Kingdom is the capital of the world. He is the most feared man on earth. The way his icy blue stare penetrates your soul like darts. Even shaking hands with this man would make you bed-ridden for a month. I speak from experience. Today he looked very… unnerved. Very… tousled. Something was wrong. Something big.

I looked around. Where was Alfred? "Are you troubled King of Diamonds?" Ludwig mumbled. I snapped back to the head of the table.

"No! Not at all!"

"Then what is your problem?" he snarled.

"I was just wondering… where is the representative from Spa-" a knife brushed past my skull and I recoiled into my chair. What on earth!? "Mon dieu!" I squealed. Ludwig turned to his Knight who suddenly materialized beside him.

"I would kindly ask you NOT to mention the enemy at our Kings table Diamond" the Knight bowed his head.

"En…emy? I think I'm missing something here…" The Queen of Clubs uttered an exasperated groan.

"Do you ever get out?" She crossed her arms across her large chest and slumped into her chair. How masculine for a woman. I looked up to the King of Hearts as he cleared his throat.

"What Clubs means is… that we have all been robbed" I furrowed my eyebrows, "robbed of our specialities… our identity has been stolen by the GOD DAMN BLUE COATS!" Blue coats? Is that what we are referring to as the Spades? That is such a derogatory term to be using, "according to popular vote… the blue coats Kingdom is now the safest, the most cultural, the most beautiful and THE NEW CAPITAL OF THE WORLD!" Ludwig couldn't consistently control his furiousness.

"What do you mean? They can't hold all those titles to themselves? Can they? Is that even legal?" I leant onto the table more entertained than shocked.

"It means we are nothing now you idiot!" Elizibeta growled across the table, "we are nothing compared to them! We have nothing! All of our tradesmen will migrate across to their Kingdom and start selling and producing products there! Our populations will decrease immensely and thus our economies begin to crumble! We'll be rotting like a forgotten fruit at the back of a pantry!" I had never thought of it like that… perhaps I SHOULD have paid more attention to the news Basch read.

"Right…. So is this why we are here?" I budged uncomfortably in my seat. Something shifty was going on here… and I didn't like it. The atmosphere of the room morphed eerily.

"Not… exactly" Ludwig prismed his fingers and lowered his gaze. I might have guessed what was to happen next… "In order to preserve ourselves and save our dear friends the blue coats from going crazy with greed… we need to take drastic actions" I shifted my gaze to Elizibeta who didn't flinch. What was wrong with her? She wasn't usually this unfazed.

"Like what exactly…"

"Like a little… _warning_… I suppose you could say…" he chuckled to himself, "just to remind them where their place is in this world…" Ludwig was being exceptionally heartless today. What was wrong with them? Even the Knight of Hearts! We used to be friends! What was happening I'd never have known.

"How do you expect we do that?" he broke into a dark smile. I shivered.

"I'm glad you asked Diamond. We do what they have done to us of course; we give them a taste of their own medicine… we simply TAKE what is most important to them… and we make it our own" the nerves in my spine tightened at this. The room grew cold and the hair on the back of my neck prickled in anxiousness.

"Matthew…" his name subconsciously slipped past my lips. A lump in my throat began to grow. The King looked up at me.

"What did you say" his cold monotonous tone rung through my skull; as if I had been hit on the head with an iron bar.

"He said Matthew… who is that?" Elizibeta glowered at me. Her cold eyes analysing my soul like a data cruncher. She really was the most terrifying woman I had ever met. My grip on my chair tightened as I clenched my fists in fear. The King turned to his Knight and they exchanged a few small whispers before the Knight stood up straight and spoke mechanically.

"Prince Matthew Jones of Spa-… Blue Coats. Brother to King Alfred K Jones of Blue Coats and Brother-in-law to Arthur J Kirkland Queen of Blue Coats. He is a large contribution to the sudden growth of their Kingdom's economy as he travels across the globe searching for new trades and brings them into his home kingdom. Often referred to as 'The _other _one' due to his brother's high status he is usually forgotten… this could be seen as an advantage…" I held my breath… could there be information on me in their archives? Will our relationship be exposed after all this? Is this the end of Francis and Matthew!? "… and that is all we could find on Matthew Jones sir" The King nodded.

"Good… good… not a bad idea Diamond" I shot a look at Ludwig who was clapping towards my direction, "I never would have imagined Alfred having a brother! This is great news… it looks like we have found our new dog! Haha! Send for a-"

"NO!" Everyone turned to look at me. I had risen from my chair. The King stared at me in surprised rage. The Knight; whom I had known, shook his head at me in horror.

"What" he barked.

"I mean…" how would I cover that up… how foolish of me! I remember that day as if it were yesterday. All eyes were on me. Usually I'd be happy for people to bask in my glory… but not like this. My skin turned to ice and all the colour drained from my body into the floor… pooling at my feet and submerging me into total and utter terror, "Matthew isn't in his Kingdom at the moment! He is overseas… you'll never find him… oh dear we'll have to think of another dog… sorry I am so foolish forgive me your highness!" as if I couldn't have made it sound any more dramatic. The King's face twisted into another smile. A dark… dark smile.

"I see." He whispered something aside to his Knight and he left the room. The King cleared his throat, "please take a seat Diamond… we have an alliance name to discuss…" reluctantly I sat. The meeting continued on.

As soon as that meeting finished I almost sprinted to my horse and carriage outside the castle walls… I HAD to get home. I HAD to find Matthew. I HAD to tell him what The King was planning! To hell with being a loyal to him! I loved Matthew! I was also loyal to HIM! He deserved more respect than I could ever wring out from my selfish soul. The trip home seemed longer although I was travelling faster than when I came. Stars passed like fireflies and the moon seemed to glare down at me as if it were God shunning me for my idiocy. It was because of my love and concern for Matthew that he is now is grave danger.

"**We simply TAKE what is most important to them… and we make it our own"**

No. Never. I promised Matthew that would endure no more suffering as long as he was within my Kingdom and my arms… under my protection would he suffer no more. I only prayed I was not too late… but then again… I am a sinner and God would show no mercy upon me.

The carriage screeched to a stop outside my home. I leapt out and almost stumbled onto my face as I took flight into my castle. Yelling his name until my vocal chords became dry. Stopped to take a breather as my chest burned from oxygen deprivation.

"Ngh… wha-? Who are…wait what!? NO! GET OFF ME!? NO-"

"Oh I see… You really are the Prince of Spades. What on earth are you doing in Diamonds' Castle? How strange… perhaps he really was right"

"Careful now… I don't think we should hurt him. Be gentle!"

One unfamiliar voice. One familiar voice.

"I am! I'm just doing what he told me to! Man… why are you so sensitive all of a sudden? Stop struggling you!"

"Mmnnpgh! FRANCIS!" Yes it was. It was him. It was my Matthew.

"Aw hell! Let's get outta here!" I dashed towards my lover. My one and only lover. The angel that purged me of my sins and filled my heart with all things good! In the cinema of my mind I could see it now…

He jerked his face away… the face that was delicate and pale. His hair that was soft and blonde; with a curl the twirled from the top of his head like a pencil swirl. His eyes were a cold amethyst… brimming with tears. Warm tears. Of deceit. Paining him further… tearing his heart as one tears paper and shatters glass. His eyes becoming empty.

"MATTHEW!" I yelled as I burst open the door to our bedroom.

There was nothing.

The window above our bed was shattered. Glass tinkling onto our sheets.

He was gone.

On our bed lay a letter.

I tore open the envelope unfolding the manuscript furiously.

As I read further into the fancy scrawl on the paper the atmosphere in the room morphed ominously.

Once I finished reading there was a beat of silence when the letter slipped out of my grasp and fluttered mockingly onto the floor. I swayed a little… feeling increasingly nauseous, before shooting out a hand to balance myself on the edge of our bed.

_**Dear Francis Bonnefoy… King of Diamonds**_

_**I have your lover here with me. Matthew Jones; Prince of Spades.**_

_**If you ever wish to see him again… alive…and possibly unharmed…you must submit to the United Kingdoms of Clartmond.**_

_**Your Kingdom will serve in the Army of Clartmond; a combined force of Clubs, Diamonds and Hearts. You will be a committed member of the United forces and fight for Clartmond when required.**_

_**Or else… wallow in your guilt knowing your love is suffering… and you will willingly accept a rebellion status, forcing all armadas on YOU.**_

_**Yours Sincerely **_

_**The United Kingdoms of Clartmond.**_

_**- Kingdom of Diamonds**_

_**-Kingdom of Clubs**_

_**-Kingdom of Hearts **_

"Matthew."


	4. Diamonds - Part 4

**Princes of the Universe**

**:Book 2 –**_**Diamonds:**_

_- Part 4 –_

_**Dear Francis Bonnefoy… King of Diamonds**_

_**I have your lover here with me. Matthew Jones; Prince of Spades.**_

_**If you ever wish to see him again… alive…and possibly unharmed…you must submit to the United Kingdoms of Clartmond.**_

_**Your Kingdom will serve in the Army of Clartmond; a combined force of Clubs, Diamonds and Hearts. You will be a committed member of the United forces and fight for Clartmond when required.**_

_**Or else… wallow in your guilt knowing your love is suffering… and you will willingly accept a rebellion status, forcing all armadas on YOU.**_

_**Yours Sincerely **_

_**The United Kingdoms of Clartmond.**_

_**- Kingdom of Diamonds**_

_**-Kingdom of Clubs**_

_**-Kingdom of Hearts**_

Was it their place to say such things? Was it their place to dictate my movements? Perhaps it was… perhaps it wasn't. We can never tell. God has it in for me I can tell… yes I have sinned! I will cry it from the roof tops of every Kingdom to each four corners of the world! I am criminal! I sleep around, I get intoxicated, I am rude sometimes, I think dirty things, I say dirty things so blame me! Please I beg of you God put all the blame on me! Pain me! Curse me! Strike me with lightening! Please… but don't hurt Matthew. Please dear god above don't hurt my Matthew…

Tell me… what did he do? What did HE do to deserve such a punishment as this. It was me. I tempted him into sins of the flesh. I tempted him into thinking dirty things around me. But he tempted me to do the same… we are one in the same but completely different. I am merciless and selfish! He is merciful and ever so generous. He could be a saint if he wanted to be. Please dear God why did you take Matthew away from me. But then I think to myself.

It was my fault.

I was the one who spoke his name in the presence of enemies. Yes. I would most definitely regard them as enemies. The Queen of Clubs who is out for vengeance against whoever murdered her favourite member of the court and the sadistic King of Hearts. Why call him the King of Hearts when he is heartless. Neither of them knows anything of love. They know nothing of how it feels to have your heart ripped out of your chest and crushed in front of your eyes… watching the shreds of happiness curl away and become distorted tears of red. A gushing waterfall of summer days and winter nights. Gone.

I pity them. Because they know nothing of love. I pity them because one day they will die alone and depressed… as I was before Matthew saved me. On their death bed they will turn to no one… no one will miss them… no one will cry for them. They will plunge into hell alone and burn there thinking on their loneliness… their mistakes. Who says I was going to heaven though. I have come to embrace the fact that I am probably going to hell when I die – lets be brutally honest. I am going to hell. But strangely enough… I think I'm okay with that. Because I have been to heaven… I found it in Matthew's pure heart. Because of him I live as a better man today.

That is why I must save him. At any cost. He saved and old wretch like me. And I will save him from a fate meant for me.

So when they came to my Castle and dragged me and my army out to the battlefield I marched on with a new fire in my heart. This new fire whispering to me as my clammy palms clutched the reins of my war horse "Matthew is alive… and he is waiting for you… a knight in shining armour"

Onwards.

War. What was the point in it… to defeat others to prove something? This didn't have to become a war. Essentially this battle was between The King of Hearts and the King of Spades; I have nothing to do with this! And the Queen of Clubs simply wants to quell her own vengeful hell fire by spattering the green fields with the blood of innocents – as one had done to her court member… something tells me he was more of a member of the court to her. That was her business; not mine. My business lies within the heart of Hearts' empire. That is the only reason I agreed to fight this war alongside him… Ludwig Beilschmidt; King of Hearts.

I overheard his plans… he stole Matthew away not to utter a warning to Spades; but to provoke Alfred who was already growing an odd instability in his personality, I knew how much Matthew cared for Alfred… but wasn't sure if his feelings were reciprocated in such a way. It turns out it was. Alfred was furious on hearing the news… he snapped and his heart slowly began to deteriorate; just as Matthew had predicted.

Soon enough word had reached us that the King of Spades was caught abusing his Queen. How foul. Even though his Queen was a rat from the street Alfred had no right to treat him in such as way! A street rat is not inhuman. Within the day everyone knew all the details of Arthur's abuse; again… how sickly, gossip travels faster than light these coming days. Like a deathly virus. It should be private… I can't imagine how Arthur would feel; already reduced so small and yet further he shrinks. I don't usually have a heart for those who dwell between the shadows, but I feel pained when reading the witnesses description of the cruelty shown to him.

"_**His breathing became distorted and shaky… his chest ached in more than physical pain. It ached in heartbreak. His heart was cracking… slowly but most definitely, "get up. On your own" Alfred exasperatedly growled. He couldn't move. It hurt too much. He looked up at Alfred. He stood over him. Far above him. He sneered, "pathetic" he reached down and clutched Arthur by the collar. Like a dog. Like the street rat he once was. He forced him to stand on his feet. No matter how hard he tried he just couldn't stand on his own two feet. They trembled and shook uncontrollably submitting to the force of gravity. Alfred held him by my collar… choking him. Arthur gasped and looked desperately into Alfred's eyes"**_

"_**A loud cracking sound echoed across the office. One half of his face collided with the mixture of shredded paper and broken glass scattered over the floor. The other half burned fiercely. He laid on the ground stunned. In silence. Alfred panted heavily and rubbed the back of his left hand".**_

_**The King of Spades will not be condemned for these actions. Not long after this event, the Jack of Spades; Wang Yao, was convicted for defying the King's orders and dishonouring the Kingdom of Spades. The decision of his execution will remain undecided until further notice.**_

That monster. That repulsive monster. How could he do such things to those who loved him dearly? They would give their lives for him if he was endangered so… and yet he continues to exploit their loyalty to him without hesitation. Deep down inside my churning stomach I feel pity for Arthur… and a twinge of relief that Matthew is not in the care of his brother currently. But then again I had received no news on Matthew's whereabouts for days… for weeks; which felt like years. Where was he now? What fate had I condemned him to? It was all my fault.

I sat in my barrack on my own. The muffled screams of gunshots echoing far off in the horizon; cawing across the sky like a banshee's squeal of delight. The moons ethereal glow was the only thing to keep my writhing pool of emotions at bay. It reminded me of the first night I spent with Matthew… how he appeared as an angel to me then. My heart fluttered at this image. His eyes half-lidded with fatigue and post-rapture. The cold moon glow bleaching his flesh with an ethereal radiance. He looked so young without his glasses… I felt a little guilty, "Francis…" his voice nothing more than a mere whisper; a fragile snowflake fluttering and pirouetting through the gentle chilled air. I tilted my head backwards loosely resting it upon his pallid chest… I looked up at him as though he were an angel delivered from the heavens to purge me of my sins, "Francis…" It were as if he were in the tent with me. His delicate rosy lips whispering my name softly like a lullaby, "Fancis…"

"Matthew…"

"Francis" the tone of voice changed. I opened my eyes slightly… allowing a slit of candlelight to blur my vision, "Francis!" I sat up instantly and whipped out my knife I strapped to my inner thigh. I never usually arm myself during slumber… but now it seemed entirely necessary. The person interrupting my beauty sleep uttered a jump of surprise as I pressed the cold steel to his throat. The candle fell from his limp grasp and snuffed out as it hit the floor; plunging to tent into darkness. His breathing increased in pace as I saw his reflection in my blade… like a sinister mirror.

"Who are you and what is it that you want?" I snarled as a heated whisper. He gulped down hard and stammered.

"I-I… my name is… Gil-gilbert…" he panted under his breath. That name… itr sounded strangely familiar to me. His voice was hoarse and grainy… something was odd about this man. He sounded as if he had been shot or something. He nudged a hand to mine… as if he wanted to shake hands with me; like a gesture of peace. I Warily reached for his hand but recoiled instantly. His hand was wet and sticky… and hot. He exhaled in embarrassment, "I am so sorry…" Gilbert. It was then the cold realization swung a punch at me. I thrust my hand out at his neck and clamped down he gagged and I swung his limp body around so I was pushing all my bodily force onto his throat.

"Gilbert Beilschmidt! Right!? The Heart's Joker! RIGHT!?" I growled into his face. But his body lay beneath mine; still, like a doll. He wasn't struggling free. He didn't writhe beneath my grip. His pulse growing weaker and his breaths rattling uselessly, "why won't you fight back!? What's wrong with you!" IHe whispered delicately through his pain. So calm. Content.

"My love…refuses to fight… so shall I…" an echo flashed through my mind like a lightening flash.

**"Don't fight Francis! It will only end in blood and tears!" I looked up at the boy standing with his miniature arm span outstretched and his chest puffed out…as if to make himself appear bigger and more intimidating.**

I released my hands.

I covered my face; caring nothing for the blood that stained my hands. I shook my head fiercely and mumbled inaudible prayers and apologies, "Non, je suis désolé! Pardonnez-moi mon amour Matthew! Pardonne-moi! (No I am so sorry! Forgive me my love Matthew! Forgive me!)"

"Matthew… Matthew Jones" My mouth froze. My lips became stubbornly stagnant; as if they were jealous that his name were to be uttered from another's mouth… staining the name in blood red. The colour of the enemy, "Prince of Spades…" my eyes pierced through the murky darkness like lasers; meeting reluctantly with Gilbert's.

"You know where he is… don't you Joker!" I snarled and he sighed again before hitching his breath and spluttering.

"Das ist der Grund, warum ich in deinen verdammten Zelt kam man pompöse Scheiße Kopf!" I screwed my face up at the vicious language muttered under his hoarse tone.

"Speak so I can understand!" He cleared his throat.

"Sorry… I am fluent in my home language…That is the reason I came into your tent in the first place" Hearing this I recoiled. I had been so rude to this Joker who I assumed had come to slaughter me in my sleep. Instead he came to warn me… to inform me. A little voice in the back of my skull kept asking why he had suddenly come to me as a friend not foe; why he had suddenly decided to co-operate to rescue the Spade's Prince, but it didn't matter. He knew where Matthew was.

"Where is he!? Is he safe? Did the King harm him!? Tell me Joker!" burning questions came tumbling freely from my mouth like verbal diarrhoea. Gilbert shifted under my weight. He gasped sharply, "what? What's wrong"

"N-nothing… nothing I'm fine" his voice sounded strained and twisted, "get off me…" It was then I remembered I had pinned him to the floor.

"Of course!" I rolled off of him instantly and extended a hand to pull him up from the floor. His hand was cold and sticky. He slipped from his hold once before I assisted him onto the side of my temporary bed. He clutched his side. As if he thought I wouldn't notice… before I could say anything he jumped in with information.

"Matthew was shut down in the Kingdom of Heart's jail with the other criminals," criminals? By god my delicate little Matthew could have been raped down there! A jail is no such place for a pretty thing such as him!

"Bu-"

"He had his own cell…don't worry. Feliciano and I took good care of him. We don't deem him a threat and made sure he wasn't harmed… you have nothing to worry about. He is very safe" I sighed and pressed my hands to my forehead. Holding back the growing lump in my throat I thanked the heavens that no harm came to him. He was so undeserving of the fate that I had brought upon him. My prayers had not gone unanswered after all. Perhaps God had other plans instead…

"Thankyou… thankyou so much Gilbert!" I threw my arms around him without thinking and clutched him tightly against my bosom. He gasped sharply again, "you have no idea how much this means to me! You are an angel sent from heaven! You and Feliciano have my eternal gratitude!" I released him from my bone breaking hug.

"Don't thank me yet Francis… he is still in the Heart's possession. You need to go there. Tonight. God forbid something happen while I was gone…"

"YOU LEFT HIM ALO-"

"FUCK NO!? HOW STUPID DO YOU THINK I AM!? OF COURSE I DIDN"T LEAVE HIM BY HIMSELF!? GOD DAMNIT FRANCIS! Ich bin nicht so dumm, wie jeder denkt, ich bin! Ich liebe ihn, du Narr! Wie kannst du es wagen mich beschuldigen eines solchen Verbrechens-" I slapped a hand over his mouth mid rant. I light flickered into the darkness outside the tent.

"Merde! Your rant woke the other soldiers!" I released my hand from his mouth.

"If they find out I am helping you…"Gilbert shivered.

"Hell! If they find out I'm taking advice from a Joker!" muffled voices began to grow in decibels as the light intensified. Leaping into action like a child on a sugar rush. I pulled the droopy Gilbert off my bed and through the exit out the back of the tent.

The crisp night air washed over my skin like and icy bath; each hair on my body prickling staunch. His hand was getting stickier, warmer and more slick. My bare toes squelched against the muddy earth as their cold tendrils reached out to me pulling me down and slowing my steps, gluing me to the ground causing me to stumble occasionally. Slipping and sliding in the mud I had finally reached my horse. My trusty steed that used to scare the living daylights out of me. Horses' elongated nasal structure was always unnerving, "come Gilbert! I'll help you up!" I knelt into the mud as Gilbert wheezed and spattering a warm liquid over my hands. I didn't have time to ask what it was, nor time to care. Launching him onto the horse I then pulled myself onto the saddle, "Yah!" I gripped the leather reigns tightly and whipped them hard. Francois screamed at the surprise and raised his hooves into the starry skies. Gilbert gasped sharply again and suddenly wrapped his arms around my waist; pressing his face deeply into my shoulder blades. Francois; my horse, turned away from the increasing number of Clartmond soldiers behind us readying their weapons and galloped fiercely away into the darkness.

Hooves collided with the ground. Echoing like an earthquake against the deafening crack of gunshots. The silent flurry of gunpowder. Everything appeared to work in slow motion. The brown earth blurred beneath me; emblazoned with splatters of red. The slow hot breath of Gilbert caressing my neck softly chilling me. His thin bones pressing against my back; like toothpicks ready to snap. His heartbeat weak like a butterfly buffeted by the wind. Something warm and wet was pressing against my spine. Bullets ricocheted past us; humming like bumblebees as they hopelessly sped past. The fools of Clartmond were mere school boys recruited for numbers; none of them could aim to save their lives. Their mothers couldn't refuse to send them to war; anyone who defies the King's rule is subject to punishment of the King's choosing. Even death. Which may explain why the Heart's population had been shrinking so profusely lately. None of them could aim to save their lives. They pursued us on horses; but none were as fast as my Francois, he was a Diamond horse. Their fading hollers and groans of frustration grew more muffled as the horizon rushed to greet us. Soon their voices were nothing more than mere whispers. We had lost them. A grin crept its way across my face. The Kingdom of Hearts was now stretching over the long stretch in front of us. I let out a huge sigh of stagnant breath; deflating my pale chest beneath my flapping white bed shirt.

I turned to face Gilbert who was still clutching my waist like an iron vice, "Gilbert!" I yelled over the rushing wind. He looked up; whiter than a sheet, he looked ghastly… like a ghost, "we made it! We lost the-"

A knife buried itself into Gilbert's spine. With a dull thud. A spatter of blood. None of them could aim to save their lives…except one, "GILBERT!" My voice failed me as his grip around my waist loosened. I looked far behind us.

A knife brushed past my skull and I recoiled into my chest. My face was bleeding. I shot a glance up at the Knight who had materialized behind us; pursuing us silently on a white horse of his own. His arm frozen in the its last position.

Antonio Fernández Carriedo. Knight of Hearts. Dressed in low ranked Clartmond military uniform. His eyes wide. His hair loose. His face filthied.

"Francis…" a crackled whisper caught my attention. I looked down at Gilbert… blood reddened his lips; dripping like wine down his chin, "go… save Matthew…" I shook my head incredulously. He couldn't go now. We had only just met, "I'll be right behind you… I promise..."

"No Gilbert! You're a-a Joker you have to-"

"Tell Matthew… I…" his grip loosened completely and he swayed droopily, like a ragdoll, "tell him…I…ich liebe di~" his limp body slid off the side of the horse and tumbled into the earth.

"GILBERT!" I called back to him with all my might. I wanted to stop. I wanted to rescue him. But there was no hope for him… he was gone. I knew that as soon as Antonio skidded to a stop beside the paling Joker. Antonio had him now. God had him now, "god bless you Gilbert… may you rest in peace" I murmured to myself as the night stole away my words.

Gilbert Beilschmidt. The Joker of Hearts. No. The Joker with a heart.

I arrived at the Kingdom of Hearts early in the morning.

All was grey. All was silent. Ominously silent. There were no sounds emitting from inside the castle walls.

Dismounting my horse and furrowing my bloodied eyebrows I remembered I had no shoes. Who cares… the feeling if frost against my toes will wake me up further. Warily I made my way inside the grand gate; swung open carelessly as if a giant had come home from work, speaking of that I had hoped Ludwig hadn't paid a visit home. If he did I was definitely a walking dead man. I was a splash of colour against a grey and white canvas… the ONLY splash of colour. The shops were closed. The streets were empty. No guards stood at their posts. My only company was a fluttering paper bag.

A sudden mixture between urine, a strange sweet smoke and herpes polluted the air. The light began to disappear as I progressed cautiously deeper into the gut of the Kingdom of Hearts. This setting appeared all too familiar to me… why… there were no people around. Smoke started toxicating the air as I covered my mouth and coughed profusely. Oh yes… I remembered then. The slums. I held the hilt of my thigh dagger as if it were comforting me. "Hey! You!" I spun around instantly arming myself against the sound. NO. No one was there, "yeah you… come 'ere for a moment won't ya?" A gruff voice murmured hidden in the smoke before me. The voice wasn't talking to me though… I frowned and started taking smaller steps towards the voice.

"N-no… I can't. It's against my masters bidding" a delicate sound trembled in the cavern of my ears. Could it be?

"Your master eh? So you're a slave? Ha! How much did he pay for ya… eh? Bet you I could pay more eh heh heh…" By god, after all these weeks of uncertainty. All these days living in fear… I would finally see my beloved Matthew again!

"Please stop sir!"

"Sir! Pah! How… arousing! Hah! Come closer I like to take a close inspection of my goods before I purchase eh?" Matthew… my dear Matthew why did I find him in these situations all the time!

"How dare you! Get your hands away from there! Ah!" I pulled my dagger out viciously and took flight like an eagle towards the sound.

"Oh! I see! YOU… YOU are that-" I dug my dagger deep into the filthy creatures neck. Feeling the crunch of tendons and the pinging of nerves like rubber bands snapping beneath my angry force. Tearing my dagger away and forcing the rat onto the ground I turned to Matthew.

"MATTHEW! I AM- what…" I faced what I thought was Matthew.

A ball of red and white curled up protectively on the stone shivered in fear. This… this was NOT Matthew.

"Ve! Please sire! Don't kill me!" I stammered in shock. Dropping the dagger onto the stone. It tinkled sharply and I stumbled back onto a wall for support.

"Feliciano!?" the trembling Jack of Hearts knelt on his knees and clasped his hands above his head an started mumbling in a foreign language. He wasn't dressed in his usual Jack's robes, "what…what are you doing here!?"

"I live here your majesty-"

"IN THE SLUMS!?"

"Oh! I… I can't remember quite clearly… I was in jail I remember…"Feliciano? In jail? Surely Ludwig couldn't have sent his own Jack into jail… but then again that IS what King Alfred of Spades did to his Jack, "Gilbert… Matthew and I that's right!" Matthew.

"Do you know where-"

"But then there was a rumbling! Like an earthquake! Yes I remember! We were all so terrified! Then… I was hit…" he reached a hand behind his head and felt around a bit. I looked down at the place where he was touching. Blood was crusted in between his auburn locks.

"You were attacked? How? Who!?" He frowned at the blood on his fingertips.

"It was…there was…"

"WHO!?"

"A flash of blue" before I could react a voice boomed from far away, echoing through the streets. I turned towards the sound.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls!" This voice was so vaguely familiar. Why were there so many familiar voices these days! It's like my mind is shrouded in a haze. Feliciano uttered a small noise.

"Something's going on in the square?"

I dragged him to his feet and manoeuvred my way back whence I came with Feliciano's occasional direction, "left here then keep going straight until you reach a butchers shop, then go right and around the book store" I nodded and continued on. The voice was getting louder.

"Today you will witness the purging of a sinner! An act of God if you will…"

"Quick! Right now!" then instantly we were faced with a wall of people. Half Heart's citizens and half Spades soldiers.

There was a looped rope.

There was blood.

There was Alfred.

There was a corpse.

_There was Matthew. _


	5. Diamonds - Part 5

**Princes of the Universe**

**:Book 2 –**_**Diamonds:**_

_- Part 5 –_

There was a scream.

Tearing through the crowd like a knife.

A bitter blade piercing through the crowd shrouded in innocent sadism. They had no idea what was coming. I had no idea what was coming.

And so it came… and still I have to keep reminding myself the same god damn thing.

It was my fault.

Right from the beginning it was my fault.

If I hadn't asked my father to come on his business trip. If I hadn't have abandoned Alfred to play on his own. If I hadn't wandered into the slums and found him. If I hadn't rescued him.

**A delicate sound trembled in the cavern of my ears. Like a frightened puppy cowering into a corner. The voice wavered.**

If I hadn't shown him my Kingdom on the hill… glittering as a thousand stars.

**We reached the top of the hill and I peered over the horizon. There it was. Glittering in the sunset the silhouette of my kingdom. The sunset hit the angle of my city just right so that the gold sparkled as the sun laid to rest, "there… you see just over the horizon Mattie?" I knelt down beside him on the warm grass and pointed into the distance. He nodded drowsily and then sparked into life again when he saw the glistening profile.**

"**Wow… what's that Francis?" his jaw dropped.**

"**That's where I live… it's a long way away but it is very beautiful there…" **

If I hadn't offered him a place in my protection… in my home…

"**Matthew! Why not come and live in my kingdom!" He looked at me with a twisted expression. Of surprise, fear and excitement.**

If I had reacted nastily to Alfred and defended my honour myself…

"**YOU KIDNAPPED MY BROTHER YOU ASS!" he landed a fist right across my jaw. Smack bang. He floored me easily. BY god the power behind that hit was astounding. I grazed across the stone clutching my cheek in pain. Now I was angry…**

"**Why…YOU LITTLE-" Matthew stepped in front of me, wide-eyed and frightened.**

If I hadn't written all those letters… superficial promises filled with empty words…

**Four short years we wrote… every single day there would be a new story, a fresh set of ink scrawl to send to Matthew.**

If I hadn't chased after him when he ran out of my court in tears…

"**Young man. Do you know who I am!?" I bellowed down at the lesser. He looked taken back by these words. Tears beginning to prickle the corners of his wide amethyst eyes. He snarled back like an angry dog.**

"**Francis Bonnefoy! King of Diamonds! Your coronation took place four years ago on an April afternoon! Your mother used to tuck you in at night and sing you to sleep with the words of your family motto! Brother to Michelle Bonnefoy who is adopted by your father who passed away five years ago! King to Erika Vogel; Queen of Diamonds, and superior to Basch Zwingli; Jack of Diamonds! You are twenty two years of age and you are LONELY AND DEPRESSED!" He screamed. His delicate voice reverberated around the hall as it grew louder and more distorted with rage. He panted heavily as tears dampened his pale complexion…reddening with embarrassment and anger.**

"**Ma…Matthew…" I forced the words out of my dry lips like a sweet poison. He scowled up at me in a form of disdainful disgust. How could I have forgotten him!? How could I let myself forget that face!?**

"**Les diamants sont éternels…(Diamonds are forever…)" his lip began to quiver gently, "what a joke…" he spun on his heel and marched out of the hall at light speed. I was left in the dust, having his disgusted expression etched into my memory.**

"**Matthew!" I called after him as the doors bellowed a deafening slam. I could hear his crying from inside the hall…they were soft and fading fast.**

Matthew… I held my chest as if it were being wrung like a flannel. It was hurting.

His face was emotionless; like a porcelain doll. His eyes which once glittered like amethysts were dull and empty. His once soft blonde hair which drifted weightless like spider's silk; was now thick and dirty, pulled off his face into a ponytail at the base of his skull. There was no colour in him… as if a rainbow was robbed of its beauty. All the life sucked out of him by a leech. He was thinner; like a twig.

Who was this man.

Where did the real Matthew go.

Feliciano collapsed onto his hands and knees; covering his mouth from uttering a cry. He began to cry in some foreign language, "No! No caro Dio Creatore e Redentore mio fratello! Mio fratello! caro fratello prego non lasciate incontrato a quest'ora! Perché? Perché Dio mio perché!? Oh, creatore di tutte le cose misericordioso prego vi prego lasciate che questo sia un sogno! PREGO MIO CARO FRATELLO VIVRE!"

The corpse that hung lifeless was not that of Matthew. In fact I knew nothing of this doppelganger.

Gripping the lever; the judge… was none other than King Alfred of Spades. He grinned across the crowd as some cowered and fainted and some hollered and whistled. Seeking for approval like a cat who had snapped the neck of an innocent sparrow; licking his lips ferociously.

These two brothers had changed. They had changed more than I could ever have fathomed.

Alfred was once a wild child with a thirst for excitement; golden locks just like his mother, and ocean blue eyes just like his father. He was indeed the perfect child. The strongest; and in majority of the populations eyes, one of the most handsome children throughout the kingdoms. He was charismatic, courageous and confident. He also had a kind side too; having his own father beheaded after he committed such filthy crimes to his son (Matthew) and son's best friend, he took drastic action to secure the stability of their kingdom. In some aspects I agree that he was a lovable child with great future.

But then I saw him like this.

His eyes were cold and sharp like icicles; darting friskily about the crowd as an angered wasp would. His hair tousled and unkempt. His face constantly morphing and twisting into cruel grins of sadistic pleasure and grimaces of disgust. His muscles rippling and taut. His tongue constantly flicking and licking his lower lip which was cracked with dehydration… he was filthy. Savage like a manky beast; fierce and completely immersed in power. Greedy, sadistic power.

Matthew looked like a ghost standing next to his brother.

Originally this war had begun due to Ludwig's insecurity of his kingdoms position. His jealousy of the Kingdom Spades. More or less it began due to Alfred's reaction to his kidnapped brother… my fault.

Now Alfred had Matthew back in his possession… what happened? He had won the war? Clartmond was caught off guard and has lost their beacon of power? Somehow I felt that this was only just the exposition of what could be the biggest war in the history of the ages. With Alfred appearing to have murdered an innocent member of the King of Heart's court; a close member to Feliciano the Jack of Hearts it appears to be, Feliciano being Ludwig's favoured member.

"Free people!" Alfred yelled hoarsely above the crowd, "feast your eyes upon the weakling! The merciless beast that prisoned your Prince!" He gestured to the dangling corpse, "the Jack of Hearts!"

Feliciano looked up and ceased his foreign cries. They thought that that man was Feliciano.

Not meaning to sound so hostile towards the broken soul I whispered to the real Jack of Hearts, "did you lock Matthew away yourself?" He looked at me with utter horror frozen in his swollen gaze.

"Never! I would never!" he appeared to be earnest.

"I had no doubt that you didn't" I turned back to Alfred with a deep burning sensation arousing in my chest.

"I…" Feliciano looked up at the corpse. It swung slightly, uttering slight creaking sound as the wind gently caressed him. Swaying contently like a soft pendulum; hypnotising him, "…I'm dead to them?" He mumbled incredulously. I looked up again at Alfred who threw his hands in the air as he was victorious. Damn that charisma.

"This is the fate of all Clartmond offenders alike! The sinners and the loyal! First Feliciano!" he pointed viciously at the swinging body, "then that damned Knight! The Knight who slept around with the whole Heart's court! A filthy foreign sex machine!" The crowd cheered.

"A-Antonio? No they can't!" Feliciano gripped my ankle like a child. An image flashed through my mind.

**The child scrambled onto his feet frightened and hid behind my legs, "Are you okay my dear? Did this filth try to hurt you?" I mumbled gently. The boy gripped my trousers and nodded into the material.**

"All those who have been offended by this dirty 'Knight' may join me and hand in hand we will end him!" The crowd whistled and cheered. Clartmond soldiers and Spades all together in unity making merry in the suffering in others pain. Matthew didn't cheer. No he didn't make any movement. He stood faithfully behind Alfred staring blankly at an invisible object far off in the distance. I was searching desperately to see that flame inside of him; that spark of electricity that I found so unfathomably exciting! It was dead. He was dead, "then we'll kill the Queen! Kill her in the likes of her own ethnicity's most unfathomably painful way imaginable! MAKE HER SUFFER FOR HER LOYALTY!" The crowd chanted after Alfred.

"Make her suffer! Make her suffer!" he quietened then crowd.

"But when all of the members of the court are quietly sleeping within their mangled bodies… we will hang them all in the centre of the King of Heart's court so he can admire them as we bludgeon that sadistic, merciless, cruel devil of a man into his throne he so adores! We will take his blood and paint the streets! We will paint the whole Kingdom red! We will dance on his corpse while the rats enjoy a feast! We will celebrate the day of his death! NO MORE MANIPULATION! WE WILL ALL LIVE FREELY UNDER KING ALFRED OF SPADES! WHO WILL JOIN ME!?" All hands were thrown to the sky and various languages crooned their agreement. Oui. Ja. Si. Yes.

Was this truly the only way we could live alongside one another… through inflicting pain upon others? It sickened me. Straight to the stomach. There were children amongst the crowd who were laughing and smiling as their mothers and fathers paid no attention to the graphic description of Alfred's proposal. They would grow up in a world of anarchy. There was simply no way that Alfred could rule. Never. Ruthless. Bloodthirsty… he was mad.

I shook my head in disgust, "something must be done…"

"L-Ludwig? No they must! They must touch him! A-and Kiku! He is innocent! I swear!" He? Kiku is a he? I had no time to question the Queen's apparent gender, "Antonio is only doing it for the money! I swear! It's not because he likes it! Leave him be! But…my brother… mio fratello"

Feliciano continued to cry in his native tongue.

I needed to go. Needed to figure out a plan. But I couldn't leave Feliciano here like this. I knelt down the tearful Jack,"Feliciano, cheri?" he looked up out of his hands, "I need to go… I will stop Alfred from doing such thing to those you love. I promise" he looked up at me as if I were some sort of angel.

"Your highness I- I don't know what to say!?" Another image flashed through my mind.

**I knelt down to the child who was on the brink of tears. His large purple eyes filling with warm tears. He snivelled and hid his face in his hands… as if to hide the tears of weakness.**

I had to save Matthew. At any cost, "just say thankyou…"

"Th-thankyou"

"God wants us to survive… he will help us in his own mysterious ways. Just accept it my friend" I stood from my kneeling position, "I hope our paths cross once agai-"

"No! Mi gato de corazones! Mi corazón! mi amor!" A thickly accented voice yelled as the crowd was parted and a Clartmond soldier splattered in blood tore through the people yelling and crying, "Mi sol! Mi luna y las estrellas!" it was him. The only one that could aim to save his life. It was Antonio. The murderer of Gilbert not only the night before.

He flung out a knife and started to cut the rope from around the corpses neck fiercely, "No, no, no! Que esto no puede ser cierto! El destino no le ha condenado a esto!" The body slumped into his arms and they both collapsed onto the earth. Antonio cradling the dead body in his arms pressing his lips against his forehead and holding the cold limp limbs into his bloodied bosom.

Alfred looked down at the pair. Strangely enough he made no advances to subdue the pitiful Knight. He stared at the blubbering man trying desperately to open his lover's eyes and breathe life into him. Pressing his lips onto the bodies dirtied skin repeatedly. Alfred turned away from the crowd briefly and placed a hand on his stomach… as if he were going to sick. No one could see the facial expression Alfred was making. No one except Matthew. Matthew turned his head to Alfred and spoke softly and audibly to the crowd of people; still making no change in expression. He mumbled o his brother softly, "where is your Queen now." Alfred turned sharply to his brother and stared at him in a mix of shock and guilt. Matthew also turned his head as Alfred slapped him harshly across the cheek with a vicious force so that he tumbled over onto the platform.

My body acted of its own accord and tried to take a huge leap toward him. Feliciano's hands grabbing my legs ceased my movements.

Matthew pushed himself up from the floor and onto his feet. Emotionless; as if he felt no pain, he wiped his cheek and passed his brother to meet Antonio and the dead body. Alfred and the whole crowd watched silently in disbelief as Matthew knelt down to Antonio and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "I am sorry… but there is nothing you can do…he is dead" Antonio pressed his forehead against the corpses; allowing his burning tears to trickle down his content smile, as if he were simply sleeping. A cruel appearance indeed, "no amount of tears nor love can bring him back… believe me…" Matthew spoke with such ease. As if he had experienced the same experience as Antonio… was this true? Had Matthew fallen in love with a dead man… and not I.

"Juro que él está durmiendo! ¿No ves la sonrisa en su cara dulce? Él está soñando! Está soñando lo juro!" Matthew took Antonio's hand in his and placed it upon the bodies chest.

"I may not understand your language. But what I do understand is this…" Matthew then placed Antonio's other hand on his own chest.

"Hace tanto frío ..." he murmered.

"There is no suffering and anguish where he is… he is happy… you should rest at ease knowing he knows no more suffering…"

A lump in my throat appeared. A tear rolled down my cheek as I held my own heart. Another image flashed through my mind.

**I placed his hand on my chest above my heart.**

"**It's so warm…" he smiled, "it's beating really fast too…" I blushed slightly.**

"**This is what you do to me..." he reached for my other hand and placed it above his own heart. We beat in time.**

Alfred cleared his throat, "let the poor fool run free… for now…" he turned his back on the crowd, "my brother and I will be staying in the King's castle… we will return to my home Kingdom tomorrow"

I had not the heart to take Matthew from Alfred at this moment. It felt so wrong.

The crowd dispersed after Alfred once again took Matthew up into the Heart's castle where Ludwig was absent.

I sat on the edge of the street cradling my throbbing head in my hands. Feliciano sat beside me resting his head on his knees.

"What is wrong…what is right… I don't know anymore… do I take Matthew from his brother again… do I leave him to be potentially abused again… maybe I'll sit here and contemplate my life until the end of my days… there is far too much pain in love and in war… pah… and they say 'all is fair with love and with war'…it is all a fallacy… there is far too much pain…"

"You know nothing of pain sire…" I had never heard Feliciano so depressed and monotonous before. He sounded like a zombie, "pain is having to choose between sparing your life or another's… either way someone will die. Both are innocent." I continued to stare at the oh so interesting pavement.

"Pain is not knowing whether the person you gave your life for loves you in return… after weeks and months of not knowing they are alive and well… they have fallen in love with another…" Feliciano turned his head to me.

"So you found out about Gilbert then…huh…" I nodded slowly.

"**Francis…" a crackled whisper caught my attention. I looked down at Gilbert… blood reddened his lips; dripping like wine down his chin, "go… save Matthew…" I shook my head incredulously. He couldn't go now. We had only just met, "I'll be right behind you… I promise..." **

"Yes… he is dead. As of last night" Feliciano froze for a moment. He must have been in shock of hearing this. Poor guy. So many deaths in a day. He turned away to stare at the pavement again.

"So you don't know after all…" he sighed.

"What?"

"Nothing. I am sad to hear of his death… but the blow Alfred delivered before he left to find you was critical… even for a Joker…" I then made the connection. Gilbert was bleeding. I turned around my shirt and looked at the material where I felt warm last night. It was stained red with the blood of a Joker.

**His heartbeat weak like a butterfly buffeted by the wind. Something warm and wet was pressing against my spine.**

"How did he last so long?" Feliciano shrugged.

"He's a Joker. We'll never know…" I turned back to the pavement. Looking up I saw Antonio sitting with the body still in his lap. All the citizens went about their daily business; passing him as if it were normal. He looked as if he were singing something to the body as he held the head of the man against his lips. There was such sadness in his eyes.

I looked down at my own hands; seeing past the dirt and blood, searching for something.

**I pulled him out of the sheets and pillows and clutched his thin limbs to mine. Entwining my fingers in his soft blonde hair.**

"**Hush… you don't need to say anymore… I understand" he shook his head into the nook of my shoulder.**

"**No… no Francis… you don't… you really don't" **

"**what I meant was… I may not understand your suffering. But there is one thing I know for certain..." I pulled him out of the hug so I could see his face, "you will never suffer under my protection… you will know no pain nor anguish while you reside here"**

"So?" I shot a look up at Feliciano. I was unaware that he had been watching me and my reactions this whole time, "are we going to rescue your Matthew or not?"

It was very useful having the Jack of Hearts as your ally. In the past I had thought that the Jack of Hearts was good for nothing and was only in the Heart's court because the King liked the look of him… if you get what I mean. But it turns out that he knows the sewers, the streets, the slums, the outskirts and all the castle halls off by heart. He knows all the short cuts and secret passages used to evacuate the Kingdom. He knows names, he knows faces, he knows every member of every court in every Kingdom near or far. There was a reason the Heart's was capital over all the others… and strangely enough Feliciano was the reason why.

We entered the castle of Heart's through the sewers and climbed up a ladder into the kitchen. Once in the kitchen we had to make our way into the maids quarters which had a secret passage hidden inside a wardrobe. Feliciano slid the backboard away and revealed a door, "this passage is part of the evacuation tunnel for the castle, every single bed room of the castle leads to this main passage way… all we need to do is follow it until we reach Ludwig's bedroom… that's where Alfred and Matthew will be sleeping I presume" the fact that Feliciano knew how to get to Ludwig's bedroom concerned me slightly… but that was not important right now. I had to prepare myself for Alfred. He would fight back when I would try to confront him about my undying love for his brother.

Muffled voices were beginning to make themselves audible. There was no doubt that it was Alfred and Matthew.

"Almost there…" Feliciano muttered softly as not to attract attention to themselves, "you must use light footsteps now and do not talk otherwise the tunnels echo will alert them of our presence, kay?" I nodded as we progressed near the entrance to Ludwig's room.

"Where is your Queen now… where is your Queen now!? How DARE you say such a thing in front of my loyal subjects! Who the hell do you think you are saying such things Matthew!?" Alfred was furious, his voice was hoarse and wild, he snarled.

"**Young man. Do you know who I am!?" I bellowed down at the lesser. He looked taken back by these words. Tears beginning to prickle the corners of his wide amethyst eyes. He snarled back like an angry dog.**

"**Francis Bonnefoy! King of Diamonds! Your coronation took place four years ago on an April afternoon! Your mother used to tuck you in at night and sing you to sleep with the words of your family motto! Brother to Michelle Bonnefoy who is adopted by your father who passed away five years ago! King to Erika Vogel; Queen of Diamonds, and superior to Basch Zwingli; Jack of Diamonds! You are twenty two years of age and you are LONELY AND DEPRESSED!" He screamed.**

"You get yourself captured… how pathetic… I swear you have no balls- no DICK! I bet you that you are actually a little girl pretending to be a man… when you were born the nurse made a mistake because your dick was so small it was almost absent! You disgrace the Spades' name by allowing yourself to be snatched by these imbeciles!? WHAT THE HELL!?" Alfred's voice tone was so unstable it were as if he were psychotic, "where the hell were you anyway!? JESUS MATTHEW!"

"I was staying in the Kingdom of Diamonds if you must know." Ignoring Matthews edgy tone Alfred stopped.

"You were at Diamonds. You. Were at Diamonds…" Feliciano nudged me and pointed to a crack in the door which allowed me to see the action. Matthew sat of the edge of Ludwig's bed as Alfred stopped his pacing to stare intently at his brother who made no movements. Fight back Matthew god damnit I thought as Alfred slowly eyed him up as he came closer to him hostility flickering in his eyes like a flame. He leant down on his knees and looked Matthew directly in the eye, "and what exactly were you doing in the Kingdom of Diamonds Matthew?" he tauntingly sighed, "ANSWER YOUR KING!" I shifted uncomfortably.

"I was visiting Francis Bonnefoy, King of Diamonds" was Matthew going to tell Alfred? Was he going to tell Alfred everything? Alfred remained silent. Soaking up the news like a sponge. The scariest thing was that he didn't react. His voice became nothing more than a whisper which was hard for me to hear.

"Now why on earth would you be doing that Matthew. Hm? Come on, tell you big brother everything" Matthew paused for a moment turning to look Alfred directly in the eye which shocked him slightly. Matthew never made direct eye contact with his brother.

"Alfred. I was visiting Francis Bonnefoy because it had in fact been exactly eleven years since I last saw him and nine years since I had sent him a letter. Before you forbid me talk to him because you didn't and still don't like him. When I arrived at the Kingdom Francis had indeed forgotten all about me. But as I ran out in tears I was approached by a group of men who intended to fondle and rape me directly on the spot. Francis rescued me from these men and took me to a safer place…" Alfred was about to jump in. But instead Matthew raised his voice and continued to speak without breaking eye contact with his brother, "where we passionately embraced before Francis swept me off my feet to his castle and we engaged in wild sex for days on end" Alfred was stunned. All the colour drained from his face and you could see the rage building inside of him by the grinding of his teeth and clenching of his jaw as Matthew still made no change in facial expression, "are you happy now big brother? Or would you like me to go into more detail about our sexual endeavours. Because I can remember each second vividly" Alfred raised a clenched fist as if he were to hit Matthew across the face.

"NOW YOU LISTEN HERE! HOW DARE YO-" What came next was completely unexpected.

Alfred collided against the floor with a large thud. Paralyzed from shock.

Matthew held his right arm flat against the floor and pressed a dagger into the side of his brother's neck. Alfred lay facing the ceiling in a daze. Matthew panted harshly as he put all of his weight on his brother, "NO! Now you listen here Alfred Kirkland Jones! I am tired of all of your bullshit! I AM TIRED YOU HEAR ME!? You have never respected me as a proper member of our family! It's always been about you you YOU! Ever since I was old enough to remember you were the special one, the perfect child, the first born, future king-WELL I'm TIRED OF IT! No one ever paid attention to me because it was all eyes on little Alfred! You got the looks, the personality, the charisma and the attention! TOO BAD YOU WEREN'T BORN WITH ANY GOD DAMN BRAINS! FUCK ALFRED! Do you know what it's like to be invisible? THAT'S WHAT I AM! I WAS ALWAYS INVISIBLE! No one ever saw me as the Prince of Spades or even just a human being! They saw me as imperfect and failed attempt at creating another YOU! I bet you didn't know that father raped me too did you!? NO OF COURSE YOU DIDN'T! I was the victim even before Arthur came along! Did anyone care? No. Did anyone know? NO. WOULD anyone care? NO NO NO! I laid awake most nights crying myself to sleep contemplating whether there was even a point in living! When mother dies you didn't even notice I wasn't at the funeral. You ever came to ME when you NEEDED something! OF COURSE I was there and would listen to your problems and help you out with proposing to Arthur because I LOVED YOU BROTHER! JUST AS ANY GOD DAMN BROTHER EVER SHOULD! I LOVED YOU! I still love you big brother… but I… am so incredibly tired of all of this ABUSE AND FUCKING CRAP THAT YOU PUT ON ME! HOW DARE YOU USE ME AS AN EXCUSE FOR A WAR!? HOW FUCKING DARE YOU! How many times do I have to tell you not to fight… how many times do I have to stop your anger outbursts… I just stopped trying brother. Look where it got you. Where IS your Queen big brother? Where IS my brother-in-law? He loves you. He loves you so god damn much and you…you…YOU BASTARD!" Matthew thrust the knife downwards.

Feliciano slapped his hands over his mouth.

I jumped.

Alfred didn't move. As the knife buried itself into the floor next to him. The icy metal grazed his skin. Matthew gripped the hilt of the knife and collapsed onto Alfred's chest before sobbing, "you fucking bastard... Arthur loves you so so so much why would you do this to him, how could you do this to him, why why why why!?" he buried his face into Alfred's broad chest. Nuzzling into his white shirt, feeling the familiar heat of his brother. He looked so pitiful… cuddling into the warmth and smell of his own brother, something this poor neglected child had longed for since his birth. Feliciano quietly walked away from where we stood. Something told me he couldn't handle the intensity of the situation. I stayed and continued to watch, "brother…dear brother what has made you like this. Where is your mercy? Where is your pity? Please tell me where your heart has gone…"Alfred's face softened slightly as Matthew brushed his head against his brothers heart; trying to hear it beating, "answer me…" Matthew waited, "answer me Alfred" Matthew's voice was changing again, "ANSWER ME!" he yelled directly into his brother's face, "I love Francis like you loved Arthur. I love him more than life itself… if I cannot be with Francis Bonnefoy for the rest of my life what point is there in being alive at all…" Matthew became enraged again at Alfred's silence, "you know Alfred, when I visited Francis for the first time in eleven years we engaged in some seriously wild copulation. I had been saving myself for Francis in fact big brother, because I had heard that he was the best out of all of the kingdoms combined; better even, " Matthew was really just letting all of his pent up rage out, but perhaps telling his brother about details of our first time together in bed was a little too far, he was trying to provoke his brother into hurting him again… Matthew wanted to be hit by his brother, "when he took me into his personal chambers brother it was amazing what I saw, it was like I had entered the bedroom of good himself. I was blessed with the most heated intimate display of affection I have ever experienced in my life. All throughout the time I had a strange feeling tingling through my body; like the feeling of his skin was intoxicating to me, a drug that I just couldn't get enough of brother," Matthew lowered himself over Alfred even further so that they were touching nose to nose. What the hell was Matthew doing I'll never really quite know, "he is a devil with the way he uses his mouth… if you get what I mean" Alfred then started to become unnerved by this, his eye twitched, "and apparently… Al… big brother dear… I wasn't too bad myself… if you get. What. I. mean" he sadistically planted a rough kiss on his brothers lips pulling away almost instantly.

Out of instinct I pushed open the passage door and scared the soul out of Matthew as I did, "FRANCIS!" his face lit up with such joy.

"MATTHEW!" I tumbled towards him as he stood abruptly from the floor.

"BASTARD!" Alfred leapt up from the floor also grasping the dagger Matthew used.

"ALFRED!"

"ALFRED!"

"MATTHEW!"

"FRA-" I pulled out my thigh knife that I had retrieved from the slums and stumbled into Matthew who stumbled into Alfred and we all fell onto Ludwig's bed.

I made no more sudden movements. As my blade was stuck in something and a hot wet feeling dispersed over my stomach. I looked up at Matthew who was immobile with surprise and fear. I looked down at my hand gripping the knife… the knife which found itself sheathed in the side of Alfred's thigh. I pulled the knife away and rolled off Matthew.

He inhaled sharply as I did so.

Matthew made a strained grunt and Alfred traced his own blade…

He traced his blade into his brother's back.

"_B-big brother…?"_


	6. Diamonds - Part 6

**Princes of the Universe**

**:Book 2 –**_**Diamonds:**_

_- Part 6 –_

Dear King Alfred Kirkland Jones of Spades…

…my friend.

First of all how are you? I know it's been a long time since we last made contact with one another; almost a year I think since we last saw one another.

Do you remember? Well… of course you do… who could ever forget, right?

"I swear to god I will end you!" you yelled at me. I was neutral at that point after having pulled my Kingdom out of the war… I was so surprised that Ludwig would allow such a thing! Perhaps it's because he was so grief stricken with his own loss. But of course you didn't know that; at that time all you knew was that I was the man that slept with your brother and stabbed you in the leg. I remember very well how gunshots splattered the atmosphere.

You would come to the hospital almost every day when you weren't defending your Kingdom; just to see your little brother, I was doing all I could to help him stay alive and well… when you weren't there of course, I remember how you hated me so much after that night at Kingdom of Hearts… I cannot explain how incredibly apologetic I am… but I understand that no amount of apologies will ever heal such a wound. Especially in conjunction to the other ones inflicted by Clartmond.

But any how I was just coming to alert you of your brother's condition in the hospital when I was cut off. Remember how you though Arthur had left to find a cure for his terminal illness? By god you were fool to think that Arthur would ever leave your side at a time such as then.

"ALFRED! ALFRED!" he yelled. You turned momentarily. We both knew he would be shocked to your bloodied face adorned with cuts, bruises and mud. God… you should have seen the look on your face when Arthur came gallivanting down those castle steps. You looked as if you'd seen a ghost. You looked like you had seen Jesus and Satan having a game of chess whilst spontaneously combusting over the fact that they ran out of… pineapple juice or something. You were shocked! Far more shocked than when Matthew almost killed you!

"ARTHUR!?" you called.

"YES! IT'S ME!" he cried. It was one of the happiest scenes I had ever witnessed in my entire life I swear.

You both began to cry… tears flowed like a river. I was stunned myself, how loyal your Queen was to you… you two always had something so incredibly special; something… golden about your relationship. I'll be honest it did make me a bit jealous but ah well, I also had something worth fighting for.

But then a loud cracking sound echoed across the square.

It resonated in the base of my skull. And suddenly your eyes appeared so empty… as if you had watched all the happiness in the world die…but…

Arthur didn't move… he was frozen like a statue.

I remember… it dripped through his waistcoat and trousers. Like wine. The thick red liquid oozed all over the castle steps like a hideous waterfall of red.

You screamed. And dropped your weapon instantly… I respected that of you Alfred. When someone you care about is harmed you drop all things that you deemed important before to help. I always did respect that about you.

"We got the Queen!" a soldier hollered. I spun instantly on my heels to look the soldier in the eye. He grinned at me. I shot him in the face as many times as there were bullets in my gun. The soldier's friend was spared. I couldn't tell who the soldier was that shot Arthur in the end… his face was too mutilated for me to recognize him. Sorry about that. But at least you don't need to worry about revenge.

When I turned back around you were already there holding him in your arms… you cradled him in your arms… and wept his name over and over again, "Arthur… Arthur please look at me!" there was no hope for him… but I daren't tell you that… I felt that is the last thing you needed to hear. You held his hand in yours, "I pity all those who condemned him, abused him and showed no mercy to him! For Beelzebub has a devil put aside for them… wallow in your guilt and self-pity… for after this day none shall be shown unto you!" you screamed at the soldiers faces of Clartmond who stood around us. Yes. Including me. I covered my eyes in distress. You lowered his hand over his wounded heart… he mumbled something inaudible as blood dripped and dyed his lips… just like Gilbert's as he was stabbed in the back; literally, by one of his own court members. "I love you Arthur… I always loved you" All fell deathly silent and Arthur's head rocked back into your chest.

You buried your face in his chest and covered him in tears. But as Matthew once said…"Tears do not revive those who are gone"

"Enlevez vos garçons chapeaux…" I whispered, removing my hat and lowering my head. Ludwig; the King of Hearts also surprisingly did so.

"Nehmen Sie Ihre Hüte Jungen ... es gibt keine Helden unter uns…"

"Take off your hats boys… there are no heroes among us… only a dead one" The Queen of Clubs bowed her head in shame.

Ludwig. Elizibeta and I…the three leaders of Clartmond. The ones who condemned Matthew and Arthur to their fates. The ones who remain no more guilty as Satan.

"I will shelter you my love… until you are deeply asleep in my arms" you pressed your chapped lips against his forehead.

"Wànsuì hēi… táo huánghòu!" The jack of Spades cried between sobs. A Spades butler translated for the rest of us.

"Long live the Queen of Spades!" He yelled.

"Long live the Queen of Spades!" I called heaving my chest and wiping the building tears from my eyes. Each and every soldier called. Those on Clartmond and those on Spades.

"Let's end this foolishness… we have caused enough suffering as it is" I turned to Elizibeta and Ludwig, "it was a bad idea from the start… let him rest in peace…" I turned to my old soldiers who remained in the armies… because they were apparently still in possession of Ludwig, "Quelqu'un l'amener à l'hôpital maintenant! (Someone get him to a hospital now!)"

"I'll do it." You mumbled. As you clutched Arthur's cold, red body to yours. Arms and legs dangling like a broken dolls, "just let me stay with him…"

Although your leg was wounded you insisted that you be the one to take him to the hospital. So stubborn. So persistent.

I remember… you reminded me of that Knight of Hearts who ripped through the crowd to be with his dead lover. That day in Heart's Kingdom.

"No! Mi gato de corazones! Mi corazón! mi amor!" A thickly accented voice yelled as the crowd was parted and a Clartmond soldier splattered in blood tore through the people yelling and crying, "Mi sol! Mi luna y las estrellas!" it was him. It was Antonio. The murderer of Gilbert not only the night before… yes Gilbert the Joker of Hearts was betrayed by his own court. How despicable… he was saving Matthew… I still never figured out what their relationship was to one another…

He flung out a knife and started to cut the rope from around the corpses neck fiercely, "No, no, no! Que esto no puede ser cierto! El destino no le ha condenado a esto!" The body slumped into his arms and they both collapsed onto the earth. Antonio cradling the dead body in his arms pressing his lips against his forehead and holding the cold limp limbs into his bloodied bosom.

You looked down at the pair. Strangely enough you made no advances to subdue the pitiful Knight. I remember now… yes, you stared at the blubbering man trying desperately to open his lover's eyes and breathe life into him. Pressing his lips onto the bodies dirtied skin repeatedly. But then you turned away from the crowd briefly and placed a hand on your stomach… were you feeling sick or something? Missing Arthur? No one could see your facial expression. No one except Matthew… I really do wonder what you were thinking at that time Alfred… perhaps you could tell me in the reply to this letter… if you feel you want to talk to me again after what happened…

Remember how we met again in the hospital… you wouldn't talk to me. I wouldn't even try and talk to you. Not after what happened…

I opened the door and remember seeing you sitting there. Sitting between them faithfully. Arthur on your left. Matthew on your right. You held their hands in your own… you didn't look up when I walked in. I suppose you would already know who it would be. I sat down on the opposite end of the small room facing you and Arthur. I bowed my head.

The only thing breaking the silence was Matthew's frail breaths which would hitch every so often. Arthur was silent. After an hour I looked up from under my eyebrows at you… I'm sure you had fallen asleep. Your head hung loosely between your outstretched arms. At that moment I felt a sudden heaving inside my chest… a sudden anchor of pity. I thought myself a sinner but it seems we aren't so different are we... not meaning to sound rude or anything but you have done some pretty bad things. So have I. I'm really a terrible person. But all this aside I felt immense sympathy for you Alfred. You were losing all that was close to you… your Queen, your lover, your brother, your Kingdom… your pride. Your glasses slid off your nose and onto the floor in front of you.

So standing up I moved forward to retrieve them. If I remember right, as soon as I put my hands on my legs to push myself up you said, "don't leave." I looked at you surprised that you were awake.

"I'm not. I was just going to get your glasses for you so you wouldn't have to let go of them…" I knelt down in front of you and swiped your glasses off of the floor. I inspected them as I did, "Hm…" I noticed a crack in the lens, "they're broken" you sighed.

"I don't care…" I sighed too and slid them on your nose again. I will confess; when I put your glasses back on you… I did take a long look at your face.. as I'm sure you took a long look at mine. We hadn't seen each other properly since we were children at that time.

I remember thinking how much more mature you looked; your jawline is very sharp. You didn't have Matthew's eyes though… his are more violet whereas yours are more blue. Your face was still dirtied with mud and crusted blood from earlier, "thanks" you muttered. I turned my head towards Arthur… his skin was so pale he could have melted into the sheets. I stood and turned to look at Matthew. He wasn't as pale as Arthur was… but still. I looked at you who was looking down at Arthur's wedding ring. It was dull.

"I… I am so sorry for your loss… Alfred" you looked at the ring longingly… as if you were remembering your wedding day. Your eyes were overflowing with empty memories. I used this pause to turn away and open a cupboard at the back of the room.

"At least…" you muttered under your breath, "one of them has a pulse."

I hated it when you said that. Because it really got me… I draped a blanket over your shoulders before pulling up a chair to sit beside Matthew, "do you mind if…"

"Not at all Francis" I took Matthew's other hand in my own and began to stroke his beautiful blonde hair away from his face. I'm not sure if you could hear me or understand me… but do you remember how I started singing to him?

"'Aime ton royaume… ton pays… ta maison ... car il va vous protéger aussi longtemps que ses murs se tiennent forts…avec amour… Aime ton épouse ... ton mari ... pour la vie sur cette terre n'est jamais éternelle ... Seuls les diamants brillent d'une telle beauté ... aussi longtemps que le monde tourne ... parce que les diamants sont éternels ... les diamants sont éternels ... (Love thy kingdom, thy country, thy home... for it will protect you as long as its walls stand strong with love… Love thy wife... thy husband... for life on this earth is never eternal... only Diamonds glitter with such beauty...for as long as the world spins... because diamonds are forever... diamonds are forever...)" you watched me as I pressed my lips against his forehead and rested my head upon his chest. So warm… fluttering like a fragile bird. Never before had his heartbeat made me so content.

"I love Francis like you loved Arthur. I love him more than life itself… if I cannot be with Francis Bonnefoy for the rest of my life what point is there in being alive at all…" I knew this statement… in fact I knew it well. It was something that resonated with me. You said it as you looked over Matthew's rising and falling chest at me, "that's what he said to me… and I'm starting to think that you… you…might be alright for him after all…" I smiled into Matthew's chest when you said this. I chuckled to myself.

"Hear that Matthew? Your brother approves of me… finally…"

Bu t do you remember how he stopped breathing.

I do.

The way you loved your brother is really very sweet. I am glad you are giving him the affection he deserves. Both of us are now much more aware of the gift of life… yes…

I am so sorry about Matthew. We had to do it to save his life… I didn't want to lose him again… I couldn't bear it… I am happy he's alive… but things will never be the same.

I suppose what I'm really writing to you about is a matter that is a little more light-hearted in my view… I want to deeply apologise for this but…

I love Matthew like I had heard you loved Arthur… before the war that is. I love him more than life itself… if I cannot be with Matthew Jones for the rest of my life what point is there in being alive at all…

So I won't be too afraid that if when I arrive home with him and you have the whole army out to kill me.

Stay well my dear friend Alfred.

Remember to geeeaaaaasxnxl~….

* * *

Francis uttered a cry as the boat went over a huge wave causing him to jog his letter, "Augggh! AH! Dieu bon sang! Pourquoi est-il si difficile d'écrire des lettres ici? (God dammit! Why is it so hard to write letters out here!?)" he massaged his temples and closed his eyes.

"Hey! Laissez tomber les voiles! Je veux aller plus vite! (Hey! Drop the sails! I want to go faster!)" Francis looked up at the dancing white and gold man spinning around the deck yelling orders at savages ten times his size; who only listened to him because he was truly adorable, "Allez les gars! Regardez pointu! (Come on boys! Look sharp!)"

"Aye aye Capt'n!" A butch foreigner saluted to the tiny male as he waddled over to Francis who was perched upon a beer keg watching the ball of sunshine with an affectionate smile, "that one's your aye?" he pulled Francis from a day dream. He nodded distantly resting his head in his hand.

"Aye… that is my Matthew…" he sighed before breathing in a big breath of salty sea breeze to awaken his senses.

"What's yer problem mate? Yer look troubl'd yer do?" Francis ran his hand through his hair and exhaled sharply, "is it someth'n 'bout tha Capt'n? He's strange a'ight… but he brings a strange kinda light to tha crew y'know?"

"You see… Tobias… you may not know this but I have known the Captain for well over twelve years now. I love the Captain Tobias. And the Captain… well… he _used_ to love me too…" Tobias leant in closer, his breath stank of alcohol and smoke.

"Ooh did somth'n 'appen with yer relationship?"

"Yes." Francis turned to look at Matthew who was now leaning off the rigging peering out to the horizon. His soft blonde hair tousled by the oncoming wind and his white shirt flapping like a small sail of his own. His face was delicate and pale. His hair was soft and blonde; with a curl the twirled from the top of his head like a pencil swirl. His eyes were a cold amethyst, "he doesn't remember it…" Tobias frowned, "in order to save his life the doctors and nurses has to perform shock surgery… his heart stopped beating momentarily. When they shocked him his brain reacted… he has amnesia you see… an-"

"Arrêtez relâchement Tobias! Obtenez sur vos pieds et vous rendre utile! (Stop slacking Tobias! Get on your feet and make yourself useful!)" Matthew slid down the rigging and started wagging his finger at the huge man.

"Hahaha! Aye. See yer Francis hahaha" he chuckled heartily and winked at Matthew. Francis frowned.

"Francis!" he looked up at the man standing with his thin arm span outstretched and his chest puffed out…as if to make himself appear bigger and more intimidating. Francis chuckled to himself over this fond memory.

"Oui mon cher? (Yes my dear?)"

"C'est cher Capitaine de vous! (That's Captain dear to you!)" Francis rolled his eyes, "Je vous ordonne de venir avec moi à la proue du navire! J'ai trouvé quelque chose qui peut être d'intérêt pour vous…(I order you to come with me to the ship's bow! I have found something that may be of interest to you…)" Francis raised a brow and followed Matthew who seemed to walk with a slight tremble to the front of the ship. Francis looked around at the crew who were rubber-necking for some reason. Their eyes wide like fish.

Matthew sat on the front of the ship and crossed his legs. Francis looked up at him as though he were an angel delivered from the heavens to purge him of my sins. His eyes half-lidded with fatigue and something else. The warm sunset glow bleaching his flesh with an ethereal radiance. He looked so masculine with his glasses and his open shirt. He pulled some fabric out of his pocket white fabric that seemed familiar to Francis.

"Qu'est-ce que c'est? (What is it?)" he asked. Matthew rolled his eyes.

"Francis… mon cher… do you not remember?" Francis swallowed his words. Matthew spoke in the generic tongue again? He leant forward and offered the white fabric to Francis, "do not cry mon cheri… he is gone now"

Francis stared at the fabric intently. Then suddenly.

**I knelt down to the child who was on the brink of tears. His large purple eyes filling with warm tears. He snivelled and hid his face in his hands… as if to hide the tears of weakness, "do mot cry mon cheri… he is gone now" although it was slightly out of place… I pulled his hands away from his face and dried his eyes with my handkerchief. His cheeks turned pink as he wiped away the snot dribbling from his tiny nose. How cute. I folded the handkerchief away into my pocket.**

"This is your handkerchief Francis… I'm sorry I stole it…" Francis slowly accepted his handkerchief back from Matthew who smiled, "I thought I would never see you again… so I took it to remind myself of you…"

"I…" he stammered, "I see…" there was something inside the handkerchief. Something circular and familiar. Francis unfolded the handkerchief and ceased all movement. He shot a look up at Matthew. He smirked.

"I am sorry… I also stole this from your cabin…it's very nice…"

Francis' mouth hung open in shock. In complete and utter disbelief. He was speechless. The whole crew laughed. Francis spun around and saw the whole crew who had congregated behind them. The King of Diamonds was fooled. Matthew raised his left hand.

"Oui." He simply said, "je dis oui"

Francis picked the item out of the handkerchief and slipped it on Matthew's ring finger. The whole crew cheered as Matthew threw himself at Francis who warmly accepted his embrace. Matthew raised his left hand to the sun and smiled at Francis.

"_You always said diamonds are forever…" _

_.The End._


End file.
